SHANGHAI, June 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, The Walt Disney Company today announced a $3.1 million USD (RMB 20 million) donation to fund Disney-themed play spaces and therapeutic play activities at children's hospitals across China.
Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger announced the gift at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center. Over the course of the five-year program, the donation will provide more than 50 hospitals in China with play rooms and therapeutic play activities. Disney will also donate Shanghai Disneyland theme park tickets to support children and their families as they undergo and recover from treatment.
"In honor of the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, we are creating a bit of Disney magic where it is needed most. With our gift of 20million RMB and tickets to our new theme park, we hope to bring happiness and laughter to children and families in hospitals across the country by creating opportunities to play and spend quality time together," Iger said.
The donation will be administered by the Shanghai Charity Foundation for children's hospitals in and around Shanghai, and by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation for hospitals in the rest of China. The play curriculum and training will be designed and implemented by Right To Play, a non-profit organization that uses the transformative power of play to educate and empower children to overcome adversity.
"Over the past few years, the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has built several children's play spaces with support from The Walt Disney Company," said Jiang Zhongyi, Director of Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "This new fund not only showcases Disney's social responsibility and support for children, but also helps promote innovative new therapeutic play concepts that are helping transform children's healthcare."
Disney's support of children's hospitals dates back to the 1930s when Walt Disney would visit with children, often accompanied by Disney characters and animators. Today that support includes millions of dollars in annual grants and donations that provide play spaces, theme park tickets, first-run movies, care packages, in-kind support, and hospital visits from beloved Disney characters.
Disney has already supported several children's hospitals in Shanghai through the development of play spaces, play therapy training, and character visits. Disney VoluntEARS have made more than 150 hospital visits and benefited more than 12,000 children and their families.
ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products and interactive media. Being a good corporate citizen is a time-honored Disney tradition. Through contributions, collaborations with local organizations, in-kind gifts and volunteering, Disney helps to brighten the lives of kids and families in need and strengthen communities around the world. For more information, visit thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship or twitter.com/citizendisney.
ABOUT WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS
Disney Parks and Resorts are where dreams come true. More than sixty years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of five of the world's leading family vacation destinations -- Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, located on Lantau Island. A sixth resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, opens on June 16, 2016 in Pudong New District, Shanghai, China. In addition, Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world's most popular destinations; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions.
ABOUT SHANGHAI CHARITY FOUNDATION
Shanghai Charity Foundation is a public non-profit organization approved by Shanghai non-government organization registration authorities. Since its founding in May 1994, SCF has always honored its commitment to raising donations, providing relief and spreading philanthropic awareness. We have hosted multiple forms of charitable activities, engaging the public and social groups in charity work on a wide scale. By the end of October, 2015, SCF has raised 9.415 billion RMB and expended 6.975 billion RMB, benefiting over 7.6 million people in difficulties.
ABOUT CHINA SOONG CHING LING FOUNDATION
Since it was founded in 1982, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF) has actively carried out its social welfare initiatives to support the healthy growth of young Chinese generations. With the support from all sectors of the community, CSCLF has actively consolidated all kind of resources, particularly in the adolescent health sector. A number of public welfare projects have been successfully launched by CSCLF, such as "Mother and Infant Health Program", "Soong Ching Ling Pediatrics Award" and "Angel's Operation - Vulnerable Children Aid Program", etc., through which, CSCLF is able to provide funding for disadvantaged young people and achieved very positive social impact.
ABOUT RIGHT TO PLAY
Right To Play is an international child development organization based in Toronto, Canada. It's mission is to use sport and play to educate and empower children and youth to overcome the effects of poverty, conflict and disease in disadvantaged communities. We believe that PLAY is not luxury, it is an important tool for education and health. It can bring entire communities together and inspire every individual. Since the inception of its pilot program in China in 2007, we have been promoting the development of more than 570,000 children in difficult situations.
