Give Kids the World is more than just an organization, it is a life-changing experience for so many children and their families. I first learned of Give Kids the World when I moved to Florida back in 1995 and saw the brightly colored buildings from the road one day.
If you are unaware or haven’t heard of Give Kids the World, they are basically an entire village; an 84-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations in fully furnished and accessible homes. Beyond just the comfortable homes to stay in, the amenities in the village are beyond compare.
Give Kids The World provides meals, transportation, nightly entertainment, and complimentary passes to Orlando’s world-famous theme parks and other attractions. There is never any charge to visiting families, and no child is ever turned away. Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has served more than 160,000 children and families from all 50 states and more than 75 countries. GKTW is four-star rated by Charity Navigator, with more than 92 cents of every dollar it spends going to program services.
Walt Disney World Moms Panel donation in 2010
I became more closely involved when I joined the (then) Walt Disney World Moms Panel in 2010 (now the planDisney Panel). We, as the new class of 2010, raised $7500 and delivered it to Give Kids the World back in October of 2010. We were given an in-depth tour at the time and it was an incredibly inspiring visit. That day let me know I wanted to help out Give Kids the World whenever I could from that day forward.
My friends and kids and I have done various fundraisers over the years, usually their annual Gingerbread Run, which is now the Challenge for Hope and you don’t have to run to take part. My youngest son Gio and husband Scott got involved this time and all raised money and ran the almost-but-not-quite 5K Challenge for Hope last November. This year it is a virtual event due to the conditions in the country. Sadly, Give Kids the World village has been closed since March of this year for that reason as well.
Because of the closure, Give Kids the World Village has decided to create some magic for locals, which will in turn help the Village when they are ready to safely reopen.
Night of a Million Lights! Here’s more about it:
For 34 years, the non-profit Give Kids The World Village has been brightening the lives of critically ill children and their families from around the world; and now, local businesses will have the chance to illuminate the Village – literally.
For 53 nights from Friday, November 13, through Sunday, January 3, 2021, the Village will come alive with Night of a Million Lights, a walk-through holiday light spectacular that is sure to warm the hearts of Central Florida residents.
More than one million lights will adorn the 84-acre whimsical Village, including a 150-foot lighted tunnel leading to 33 decorated villas; more than 50 larger-than-life holiday-themed wireframes, some spanning more than 40 feet; an enormous incandescent gingerbread arch; and out-of-this-world space-themed decorations showcasing the Village’s newest centerpiece, Henri’s Starlite Scoops.
Adding to the fully immersive lights and sounds experience, Santa Claus will greet guests from the balcony of Towne Hall, with Give Kids The World’s beloved ambassadors, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry, on hand to lend some holiday cheer.
Corporate and community partners can get into the holiday spirit by adopting a villa, with the creative freedom to decorate it however they’d like for display throughout the 53 nights of the event.
Beginning on October 1, guests can purchase tickets on the Give Kids The World website at www.gktw.org to walk among the brilliant lights, vote on their favorite villas, and take part in a variety of family activities in a socially distant manner.
Most of the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions will be available at no cost, including The Enchanted Carousel, Marc’s Dino Putt, Kelly’s Sunny Swing, and Lori’s Magical Flight – all elaborately decorated for the holidays. Complimentary hot cocoa and ice cream will also be served throughout each evening.
In addition, guests can visit the Village’s most iconic venue, the Castle of Miracles – featuring a mysterious forest, a wishing well that burps, a magic tree that makes pillows, and more. The Castle is highlighted by thousands of stars that fill the ceiling and the adjoining Star Tower, each placed in honor of a wish child who has visited the Village.
“Children with critical illnesses face countless appointments, treatments and hospital stays, and they are often told ‘no’ due to the limitations of their illness. We feel privileged to give wish children and their families a week of ‘yes’ where they can forget their worries, experience joy, and spend priceless time together,” said Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth. “We look forward to sharing some holiday joy with the community while making it possible for future wish children to have their wishes fulfilled.”
Give Kids The World Village closed to wish families in mid-March due to the global pandemic, delaying more than 4,000 wishes. The Night of a Million Lights is designed to raise funds to ensure that wish trips can return bigger and better than ever before once the time is right to reopen.
I am SO excited to take part in this event. I urge locals or those visiting to fit Night of a Million Lights into your plans as well. It’s such a good cause, and I know we’ve all been missing light displays that we used to be able to walk through at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! We were just mentioning it on our Up the Waterfall podcast, how much we miss the experience. I can’t think of a better way to recapture some of that magic, while giving back and ensuring children and their families will experience all that Give Kids the World has to offer once more. The fact that they are offering tours and additional benefits is amazing, because once you tour Give Kids the World, you will definitely want to do and help more.
Tickets are On Sale NOW!
Give Kids the World Night of a Million Lights tickets are on sale now, enabling guests to walk among the brilliant lights and participate in a variety of fun and festive activities in a safe, socially distant manner. Ticket prices start at $15 for children ages 3-17 and $25 for adults, and include: on-site parking complimentary ice cream and hot cocoa and unlimited access to the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions – including The Enchanted Carousel; Marc’s Dino Putt; Kelly’s Sunny Swing; Lori’s Magical Flight; an interactive model railroad; and the Village’s iconic Castle of Miracles, where thousands of stars fill the ceiling in honor of wish children who have visited the Village. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, with staggered entry times at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. (confirmed at the time of purchase) to ensure social distancing. Mask wearing is required for all guests.
Proceeds from the event will support Give Kids The World’s mission to provide wish vacations for critically ill children and their families.
Give Kids The World Village is located at 210 S. Bass Road in Kissimmee. To learn more, visit gktw.org/lights. For information on group tickets, contact millionlights@gktw.org.
I wanted to share this story that was recently posted on the Disney Parks Blog – I’m sure by now you’ve seen on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter about the #ShareYourEars campaign where Disney Parks will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish for each photo with Mouse Ears (you can even make your own out of anything!) uploaded to the above social media sites, with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, up to one million dollars. Now there is another way to contribute to such a great cause, and get some new Ears in the process! Check out Michelle Harker’s post below:
I have even more exciting news! One hundred percent – 100%! – of the $19.95 sale price (exclusive of sales tax) of the ear hat shown above will be donated to Make-A-Wish — helping make wishes come true around the world for children with life-threatening medical conditions. No discounts apply. Purchasing limits will apply, and this particular ear hat will be available at Disneyland Resort only at the following locations.
If you have little ones and a computer, chances are they are playingClub Penguin, the #1 virtual world for kids. Since the holidays are about giving back, Club Penguin wants to empower their players to do the same. With their annual Coins for Change program, where players can donate virtual coins that they earn playing games to real-world causes that matter to them.
Running from December 20 to January 2, the Coins for Change program will turn Club Penguin into the biggest virtual bake sale ever, with players baking virtual cookies and buying them with virtual coins that act as votes to influence where Club Penguin’s $1 million US cash donation will go. The votes determine the percentage of donations made in three areas: providing medical help, building safe places, and protecting the earth.
Through programs like Coins for Change, Club Penguin has given a total of $9 million to charities all over the world, further raising social consciousness among the more than 750 million players who take part in the online community. In last year’s event, kids donated over 10 billion coins to help make the world a better place, including funding projects in 42 countries such as:
20 schools built for over 20,000 children
25 school libraries built for over 50,000 children
27 playgrounds built for over 50,000 children
33 clean water projects for over 50,000 children and families
Youth engagement and education programs around the world for over 1,000,000 children and families
Here’s how kids can take part – when players virtually buy the special bake sale cookies, they will be transformed into the new holiday characters for a short period of time. All players can transform into toy cars, while members are rewarded by transforming into reindeer puffles and “frost bites,” which allow them to temporarily freeze in-world items. Sounds festive, right?
Head over to ClubPenguin.com for tips to start your own real-world bake sale, with recipes too, and to begin earning your Coins for Change today!
Give Kids the World is an organization near and dear to my heart. I’ve been honored to be a part of fundraising through the Walt Disney World Moms Panelists from 2010 on, who have together with supporters raised close to $35,000 for the Village, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. I was also able to tour the grounds in Kissimmee with my family and it is a day which I will never forget.
You can read more about some stories that affected friends of mine on my previous post about Give Kids the World. Now, my 12 year-old daughter, Sophia, and I are raising funds for Give Kids the World and running the Gingerbread 5K, held at the Village on November 3. My good friend Nicole started volunteering at the Village this year and wanted to create a team to take on the Gingerbread 5K together and raise awareness and valuable donations for such an amazing cause. Sophia and I would love to have your donation for this Gingerbread 5k as I join my friends on #TeamSparkle.
Team Sparkle has raised close to $3000 and we would love help in reaching our goals! Thank you SO much for helping the wishes of ill children get fulfilled!
As sad as it is that there is a need for this campaign, it is so very powerful because, it does – get better. As a child, teen, or even young adult, it’s so hard to see beyond the right now, to a place where the people and things that seem so important today, are just a memory. That’s why the It Gets Better project is wonderful, because you can see people just like you, or even people different from you, that had it rough and got through it.
Whether it’s famous people or everyday folks, it gets better. I thought this video was too important not to share here and hope it gets out to as many people as possible. It is the very things that make you different right now, which will make you amazing in the future.
Readers will know that Give Kids the World is an organization near and dear to my heart. My fellow Moms Panelists helped raise $7500 last year to deliver in person at our October reunion, and I shared some stories with you then.
Now the Power of 10 has been brought to my attention, organized by Disney fans in an effort to raise $1 million for Give Kids the World. Here is some more info below and instructions for how you can donate today and help children and family’s dreams have a little more pixie dust.
Forgive the departure from ZannaLand’s typical upbeat theme park-related posts, but I felt this was an important topic to spread awareness about. October is well-known as Breast Cancer Awareness month but it is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an issue which affects 1 in 4 women in her lifetime. Unfortunately that means we probably all know someone close to us affected by domestic violence.
A friend and colleague let me know about her efforts to raise awareness through Harbor House, a central Florida area domestic violence shelter and prevention center.
Here in central Florida domestic violence is at an all time high, even though every other criminal statistic has dropped. In the past year alone, more than 30 people have died as a result of domestic abuse. The most recent was a 7 month old baby killed last week by his father. The mother has been arrested for child neglect for being unable to protect her child from their abuser. If you click on this post, you’ll get a better feel for why protecting your child can become a considerable challenge when you’re unable to even protect yourself. The blogger – Laura Williams – also offers some terrific insight as to why women are challenged to leave an abusive relationship in the first place.
Please take a moment to read some more facts about domestic violence courtesy of Harbor House:
About 1.3 million women are assaulted by their partner each year.
85% of domestic violence victims are women.
Boys who see domestic violence are twice as likelyto abuse their own partners.
30% to 60% of batterers also abuse children in the household.
About 1/3 of female homicide victims are killed by their partner.
In 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, the woman was abused before the murder.
Less than 1/5 of victims reporting an injury from their partner seek medical treatment.
More than 18.5 million mental health care visitseach year stem from domestic violence.
One in 6 women and 1 in 33 men has experienced an attempted or completed rape.
Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in about 40-45% of battering relationships.
81% of women stalked by a current or former partner are physically assaulted by them.
31% of women stalked by a current or former partner are sexually assaulted by them.
The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year.
$4.1 billion goes to direct medical and mental health services for victims every year.
Victims of intimate partner violence lose almost 8 million days of paid work a year.
Only 25% of all physical assaults by intimate partners are reported to police.
Only 20% of all rapes by intimate partners are reported to police.
Only 50% of all stalkings by intimate partners are reported to the police.
One-half of injunctions obtained by women who were physically assaulted are violated.
Over two-thirds of injunctions against partners who raped or stalked are violated.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States.
32% of battered women report their children had hurt or killed animals.
68% of battered women report violence towards their animals.
13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.
25% – 40% of battered women do not leave because of pets and livestock.
Disturbed children kill or harm pets to copy their parents’ conduct or prevent the abuser from killing the pet.
In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes.
Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.
Battered women have been known to live in their cars with their pets for as long as four months until an opening was available at a pet-friendly safe house
Animal abuse is often a tool used by batterers to emotionally control or coerce victims.
32% of battered women report their children had hurt or killed animals.
68% of battered women report violence towards their animals.
13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.
25% – 40% of battered women do not leave because of pets and livestock.
Disturbed children kill or harm pets to copy their parents’ conduct or prevent the abuser from killing the pet.
In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes.
Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.
Battered women have been known to live in their cars with their pets for as long as four months until an opening was available at a pet-friendly safe house
Animal abuse is often a tool used by batterers to emotionally control or coerce victims.
Thank you for taking the time to read about this important issue – please pass it along to help raise awareness. If you have a blog and would like to use the banner in this post on your site, please feel free to do so. Donate funds or time if you are able. If you are currently a victim of domestic violence, please click any of the links above and get help now.There is hope.
When I first lived in Orlando, I remember driving around looking at neighborhoods and going down this street where I could see giant red-topped mushroom over a wall. Of course, I instantly thought of Walt Disney World and its whimsical architecture, but saw a sign saying “Give Kids the World“. I did some research and found out it was an organization that accommodated the wishes of chronically ill children and their families. I knew then it was a place I wanted to somehow help with.
Then, life happened…I moved away and back and away and had my own children. I have been given the gift of 3 healthy children and I understand even more, as a mom, just how valuable Give Kids the World is for children that need it.
For those unfamiliar with Give Kids the World, here is a bit more about them from their site:
A child with a life-threatening illness between the ages of 3 and 18, whose one wish is to visit any of Central Florida’s best loved attractions, may have their dream vacation come true by first being identified by a doctor as a child with a life-threatening illness. The child is then teamed up with one of over 250 partnering wish-granting organizations from
around the world, who then refer the eligible Wish Child and their family to GKTW Village. Once a Wish has been approved and recommended by the Wish Child’s local wish-granting organization, the Give Kids The World Wish includes:
Accommodations on-site in one of 140 villas
Donated tickets to all three major theme-park resorts (SeaWorld Orlando, Universal
Orlando and Walt Disney World)
Transportation
Meals in our Gingerbread House Restaurant and Katie’s Kitchen; and ice cream all day in
