Avengers: Endgame Stars and Disney Team of Heroes Unite to Support $5 Million Donation to Benefit Children's Hospitals
Apr 05, 2019, 13:54 ET
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd and Brie Larson of Avengers: Endgame Assemble at Disney California Adventure
Disney, The LEGO Group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon Donate More than $5 Million in Cash and Toys to Starlight Children's Foundation – which will benefit children's hospitals across the country – in Celebration of the Film
ANAHEIM, Calif., April 5, 2019 /CNW/ -- The stars of Avengers: Endgame today visited the Disneyland Resort to launch Avengers Universe Unites, a charity event that supports The Walt Disney Company's signature philanthropic commitment, Disney Team of Heroes, which delivers comfort and inspiration to seriously ill children around the world.
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd and Brie Larson were on hand at Disney California Adventure Park to celebrate the donation of more than $5 million to nonprofits supporting children with critical illnesses, including $1 million in cash from Disney to Starlight Children's Foundation. The LEGO Group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon together donated over $4 million in Avengers: Endgame toys and products which will be sent to hundreds of children's hospitals throughout the country, as well as Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort in central Florida.
"The superheroes in Avengers personify traits like courage, perseverance, bravery and hope – the same traits countless kids and their families in children's hospitals exhibit every day," said Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, who joined the kickoff celebration. "We are grateful to have the Avengers cast take time out of their day to be a part of this effort to lift spirits and bring comfort to children during a difficult time."
The Avengers stars joined kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim and Garden Grove to play at a larger-than-life LEGO® build at The LEGO Store in Downtown Disney and were treated to a visit by Amazon's Treasure Truck stocked with Avengers: Endgame toys., including Hasbro action figures, Iron Man MK50 robots by UBTECH and Funko POP! vinyl figures.
"Nobody understands magical experiences better than Disney, and we've been proud to partner with them in bringing those experiences to kids in children's hospitals for more than 20 years," says Adam Garone, CEO, Starlight Children's Foundation. "From delivering hospital care packages, to storytelling through Starlight Xperience virtual reality, to our recent Disney-themed Starlight Gowns, millions of seriously ill children have benefited from our amazing relationship together. And with this donation, even more kids will get to experience the magic of Disney."
About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of Disney into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than sixty years later, Disney has grown into one of the world's leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 52 resorts in the United States, Europe, and Asia with approximately 160,000 cast members; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022, and 2023; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawaii; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Disney's global consumer products operations include the world's leading licensing business; the world's largest children's print publisher; the world's largest games licensor across all platforms; more than 200 Disney store locations around the world; and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.
These experiences are created by Disney Imagineers, the creative force behind experiences found in Disney theme parks, resort hotels, cruise ships, and consumer products—including books, games, and merchandise.
About Avengers: Endgame
The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films, "Avengers: Endgame."
Kevin Feige produces "Avengers: Endgame," and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay. "Avengers: Endgame" is in U.S. theaters on April 26, 2019.
About Disney store and shopDisney
Disney store, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America, Europe, Japan and China. Disney store carries high-quality products, including exclusive product lines that support and promote Disney's key entertainment initiatives and characters from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel. shopDisney.com is the ecommerce destination for guests of all ages, offering a curated selection of the best product from Disney store, Disney Consumer Products licensees, global collections and collaborations, and Disney Parks and Resorts, including trend fashion and accessories, toys, home and collectibles. Disney store and shopDisney offer magical shopping experiences that can only be delivered by Disney, one of the world's largest and most successful entertainment companies. There are currently more than 215 Disney store locations in North America; more than 40 Disney store locations in Japan; two locations in Shanghai, China including a flagship; and more than 70 Disney store locations in Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, plus online stores www.shopdisney.co.uk, www.shopdisney.de, www.shopdisney.es, www.shopdisney.fr, www.shopdisney.it, and www.disneystore.co.jp. Disney store and shopDisney are the retail merchandising arms of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) and its affiliates that extends the Disney brand to merchandise. For more information, please visit dcpi.disney.com/disney-store or follow us at www.facebook.com/shopDisney,
www.instagram.com/shopDisney and www.twitter.com/shopDisney.
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