Come together to give forward

The Disney VoluntEARS program started in 1983, and since then has touched upon 42 countries around the world, bringing the magic of Disney to those in need. For a week in September, over 4200 employees volunteered to create a difference in someone's life. 

Together, we packed over 700,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger India, creating a global record. Our VoluntEARS also spread Disney magic by decorating greeting cards to bring a moment of joy to children visiting public hospitals.

The week in our offices saw incredible energy, fun and everyone driven by a sense of purpose. Read the highlights of the experience of the Disney VoluntEARs.

"Never before have I seen our company come together for such a purpose. It was one of the most diverse gatherings ever – people who had never met before worked as teams to make a difference, and we had so much fun doing it." Kankana Das, Human Resources.

"As Walt Disney said, "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing". Most days go by in doing the job and meeting deadlines, but there are days when you create hope and get to express your creativity at the same time. This Disney VoluntEAR activity made me feel that way, and I hope it brightens someone's day when they see the greeting card!" Hersh Acharya, GEC Legal Team.

"We live in a world, where there is so much disparity, and a little help from us who have a little more to give goes a long way. I opted to send greeting cards to children in hospitals. It was quite rewarding to think that it will brighten up their day and hopefully speed up their recovery." Karnika Saxena, Content Studio, Hindi GEC.

"What I liked most about packing meals was the speed at which we carried out the activity through optimally organizing and rotating roles. We challenged ourselves and achieved the shortest time of 4 seconds per packet. I realized how the strength of teams expedites and makes any activity exciting. It was not just volunteering for a cause but in a way, served as a team-building activity!" Tejaswi Bonda, Data Science.

"It triggered a side in me that I didn't know existed. While packing meals, I realized that a 500 gm meal packet can keep someone's hunger at bay for a whole day. Sometimes, I throw that much food away. This experience has humbled me and given me a fresh perspective on giving." Kanika Mathur, Brand & Marketing Strategy.