Disney has shared that Walt Disney World Resort has donated $125,000 to local Central Florida schools and students.

The back-to-school season has officially started in Florida! As students head back to school in the state, Walt Disney World Resort has announced its investment in Florida education, sharing a $125,000 donation to support school districts in the local Osceola, Lake, Polk, and Seminole counties.

Disney Donates $125,000 to Central Florida Schools

The donations from Disney will be used to expand workforce development and early learning student programs. “Our company is very much rooted in storytelling, so supporting the future storytellers in our community is critical,” said Tajiana Ancora-Brown, Director of External Affairs at Walt Disney World Resort. “Career dreams begin in the classroom, and we’re helping students build a solid foundation to pursue those dreams and become who they imagine they can be.”

This donation is joining in ongoing efforts like Disney World’s annual Back-to-School Supply Drive, which benefits A Gift for Teaching. Disney World has teamed up with.A Gift for Teaching for decades, collecting more than $177,000 in essential school supplies and monetary donations over this past summer “to help get Florida students and teachers the resources they need to succeed in the classroom throughout the school year.”

About the partnership, Jane Thompson, President of A Gift For Teaching, said, “As our longest and largest supporter, Disney has made a deep impact on our organization and our community. We are so grateful for their help as we work together to empower local teachers and inspire future leaders. Thanks to every cast member who took part in the supply drive, we’re one step closer to a future where every student has the tools they need to achieve their dreams.”

Disney Future Storytellers Initiative

Furthermore, Disney has supported back-to-school efforts across Florida in several ways. They have matched eligible Cast Member donations made during the Back-to-School Drive through its Disney Matching Gifts program. They also made A Gift for Teaching the celebrated charity of the runDisney Virtual Series, helping raise $20,000 for the organization.

The effort is part of the Walt Disney Company’s Disney Future Storytellers initiative, which is intended to help empower the next generation of storytellers and innovators to “dream about their futures and build their talents and skills in distinctly Disney ways.” You may recognize the name from earlier this year, when the Walt Disney World “Rock Star Robotics Center” officially opened at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.