Disney Citizenship aims to inspire kids and families at D23 Expo

One division of The Walt Disney Company that is perhaps less well-known to those outside of Orlando and Anaheim boosted its presence at the D23 Expo with unique activities for convention attendees. Disney Citizenship hosted hands-on volunteer activities each day in its pavilion, and volunteers only had to donate a few minutes to get involved.

Disney Citizenship is a branch of the company that seeks “to promote the happiness and well-being of kids and families by inspiring them to join us in creating a brighter tomorrow,” according to the website. One way that Disney accomplishes this goal is through voluntEAR activities that benefit various communities. At the D23 Expo, the slogan “Be Inspired” was prominently displayed for those entering the pavilion.

Each day, volunteers could participate in a different project. On Friday, bags were stuffed with books for First Book, which donates new books to children in need. On Saturday, packages that included toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs and small Mickey Mouse plush animals were assembled for the Red Cross to use for families displaced by disasters. Finally, on Sunday, we could make planting kits for Inside the Outdoors, which is a hands-on environmental education program administered by the Orange County (Calif.) Department of Education.

Once D23 Expo participants finished each activity, they were encouraged to post on social media with the #DisneyCitizenhip hashtag. For each post on Instagram and Twitter, Disney donated $1 to the day’s charity organization. In recognition of their efforts, volunteers each received a Disney Citizenship D23 reusable tote bag each time they donated their time.

Disney Citizenship focuses on four key areas to build strong kids and families: think creatively, live healthier, conserve nature and strengthen communities. Large-scale displays in the pavilion illustrated how Disney is contributing to those goals.

For example, to encourage kids to “think creatively,” Disney provides opportunities for 83,000 kids to participate in the Magic of Play, 10,000 students to join Disney musicals and 10 million youth access to Code.org computer science tutorials. Disney promotes its Mickey check — a tool to help families identify nutritious choices in stores, online or on vacation — for healthy living. Did you know the steam trains at Disneyland run on recycled cooking oil from the restaurants at the resort? That’s an example of how Disney conserves nature. It also has donated more than $27 million to conservation projects in 14 countries. Finally, one way Disney helps strengthen communities is by giving back through volunteering; last year, Disney employees contributed more than 500,000 hours.

But you don’t have to be a Disney employee to get involved. Check out and sign up for the latest Disney Citizenship projects online at http://citizenship.disney.com The deadline has just passed for students to apply for Summer of Creativity grants. Stay tuned for fall events from The Walt Disney Company.

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