Walt Disney World Resort Donates Fabric to Orlando Ballet to Create Face Coverings for Central Florida Communities

by Tajiana Ancora-Brown, Director of External Affairs, Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort Donates Fabric to Orlando Ballet to Create Face Coverings for Central Florida Communities - Photo Collage

As we continue to identify ways to support our community during this unprecedented time, Walt Disney World Resort is joining together with Orlando Ballet to make a difference for the Central Florida community.

With the temporary suspension of the performance season at Orlando Ballet, staff from their wardrobe department have been hard at work using their talents to sew face coverings for the members of our community who need them most. To support this inspiring effort, Walt Disney World Resort donated more than 400 yards of fabric and 2,400 yards of elastic to the organization, which will be converted into an estimated 3,000 of these much-needed non-medical, non-industrial-grade face coverings for local healthcare workers. Check out this video to see how the teams are making a difference together!

“It’s an honor to collaborate with one of Orlando Ballet’s longtime supporters and neighbors — Walt Disney World Resort — on this project,” said Cheryl Collins, interim executive director, Orlando Ballet. “Disney does such inspiring work in our community and we can’t thank them enough for their generosity. Orlando Ballet is extremely proud of our team and volunteers who have come together to create so many face coverings that are vital to people in Central Florida during this time.”

For Costuming Strategy and Initiatives Manager Fredd Gunzel, who has worked at Walt Disney World Resort for more than 20 years and has a background in the arts, this story was particularly meaningful. It was only fitting that he would be the one to make this impactful delivery.

“In costuming, we’re all about taking care of each other,” said Fredd. “So being able to donate this fabric and elastic to Orlando Ballet to create these face coverings for our local community is something we are grateful to be a part of.”

In addition to this contribution, Walt Disney World Resort actively supports Orlando Ballet through dance programming sponsorship, financial and in-kind support.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Thu, April 30, 2020

Disney Introduces Cloth Face Masks and Donations for Families and Communities in Need

by Laura Cirigliano, Director, Communications & Public Affairs, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products

Disney is committed to serving the communities where we live and
work. During these challenging times, we’re using the power of our timeless stories and beloved characters to address our guests’ needs.

Following the CDC’s recent recommendation to wear cloth face coverings in public settings, Disney is introducing non-medical, reusable cloth face masks featuring favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters in the U.S., available for pre-order now on shopDisney.com.

To further help those in need, Disney is donating one million cloth face masks for children and families in underserved and vulnerable communities across the U.S., including California and Florida, that will be distributed by MedShare. Disney will also donate all profits from the sales in the U.S. of Disney’s cloth face masks to Medshare, up to $1 million, now through September 30, 2020.

“Disney’s donations will make a tremendous impact in the
communities we serve,” says Charles Redding, CEO and president of MedShare. “Their contribution of one million Disney cloth face masks will be provided to families in underserved communities and organizations working to limit the spread of COVID-19, while their monetary donation will be used to support the medical community’s ongoing efforts to provide lifesaving care to those who need it most.”

The cloth face masks are available for $19.99 for a four-pack, and feature a wide range of fan favorite characters, including: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Anna and Elsa, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, The Avengers, the Child – affectionately known as Baby Yoda – and more!

“We realize this is a challenging time for families and wearing any type of mask can be daunting,” says Edward Park, senior vice president, Disney store and shopDisney. “Our hope is that Disney’s cloth face masks featuring some of our most beloved characters will provide comfort to the families, fans and communities that are so important to us.”

The cloth face masks align with the FDA’s latest recommendations on non-surgical, non-industrial grade face masks.

You can pre-order the cloth face masks – available in small, medium, and large sizes – now on shopDisney.com in the U.S., for estimated shipping in June. Care instructions, including washing and fitting guidelines, can be found on shopDisney.com. Disney’s cloth face masks are just one example of the company’s commitment to helping communities in need during the current healthcare crisis. As part of its nearly $5 million in-kind donations benefiting communities around the globe, The Walt Disney Company has already donated more than 100,000 N95 masks to the states of New York, California, Florida and Washington, D.C., and 175,000 rain ponchos to hospitals in need of additional protective garments.