For nonprofits throughout Central Florida, Mickey’s Attic is a magical place filled with Disney toys, movies, colorful accessories, home décor and more – treasures that bring smiles to children and lift the spirits of local families. Now through Sept. 14, Walt Disney World Resort has once again opened this treasure trove, as Disney prepares to donate more than $1.6 million in surplus goods to local community groups.
“With the Disney toys and treats we receive from Mickey’s Attic, we’re able to bring joy to our children, reward our staff members and raise awareness about our work – all without impacting our organization’s resources,” said Robynn Demar, executive director of the Welbourne Avenue Nursery & Kindergarten, Inc.
To participate in the fall 2015 edition of Mickey’s Attic, nonprofit organizations in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Polk and Seminole counties are invited to browse the online catalogue to select surplus Disney products for use with their community events and programs. Once their treasures are chosen, the organizations collect the donations from a local storage facility with the help of Disney VoluntEARS.
Over the years, VoluntEARS have helped move boxes full of toys, DVDs, keychains and other uniquely Disney treats from warehouses into trunks and trucks bound for the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families. The Center uses the items as prizes for children at Easter egg hunts and fall festivals, thank you gifts for volunteers and to help break the ice with families during home visits.
“We serve children and families who face serious, sometimes traumatic life challenges,” said Marie Martinez, the Center’s executive director. “But through Mickey’s Attic, we’re able to bring cheer and encouragement – one event, counseling session or interaction at a time.”
Mickey’s Attic is one of the ways Walt Disney World Resort supports Central Florida community programs aimed at strengthening children and families. Since 2012, Disney has contributed more than $3.4 million in donations to Central Florida nonprofits through Mickey’s Attic. Overall, more than 200 organizations have benefitted from the donation of more than 750,000 Disney items.
For the Early Learning Coalition of Lake County, Mickey’s Attic provides student incentives for use in local preschools and prizes for community events. In recent years, the Coalition has used Disney donations to fill gift bags that are distributed to the nearly 800 preschoolers who attend its annual Day in the Park, a community-building day of crafts, learning and outdoor fun.
“Whether we’re using these Disney treats at events or on our Big Blue Bus as it travels the county to promote reading – the donations we receive from Mickey’s Attic mean the world to our early learners,” said Lesha Buchbinder, executive director of the Coalition.
To access the Fall 2015 Mickey’s Attic catalog, representatives of local nonprofits, can click here. To request donations of surplus and in-kind items, community groups should email [email protected] and share their creative idea for making the best possible use of the items to further their organization’s mission, vision and goals. To be eligible for donations, organizations must be federally registered nonprofit charitable groups in good standing with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.