Walt Disney World Makes a Huge Donation to Support Floridians Affected by Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday morning, and in the cities and communities in the path of the fearsome storm, the damage and devastation is nearly unimaginable.

Credit: Disney/Canva

Hurricane Idalia, which briefly reached Category 4 status before making landfall, slammed into Keaton Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida with winds of 125 miles per hour and a six-foot storm surge. In the days and hours leading up to Idalia’s arrival in Florida, some meteorologists feared the storm might suddenly veer east, but Idalia continued to move in a northwesterly direction as it made landfall and moved quickly across the Sunshine State and into Georgia and South Carolina.

ABC News reported that “Hurricane Idalia tore into Florida at the speed of a fast-moving train” on Wednesday morning, “splitting trees in half, ripping roofs off hotels, and turning small cars into boats before sweeping into Georgia and South Carolina as a still-powerful storm that flooded roadways and sent residents running for higher ground.”

Credit: Joe Penniston, Flickr

Though she roared into Florida as a major hurricane and left damage and devastation in her wake, Idalia didn’t present the threat to Central Florida and the Walt Disney World Resort area as Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole did in September 2022. Even so, Disney World has partnered with the non-profit organization Second Harvest of Big Bend to help those who were affected by Idalia.

Disney shared news of the partnership in this effort, saying, “We continue to be inspired by the way so many people across Florida are showing up for each other and are sending our love and support to all those impacted.”

Walt Disney World is donating $100,000 to Second Harvest of the Big Bend to support Idalia relief and recovery efforts.

“We continue to be inspired by the way so many people across Florida are showing up for each other and are sending our love and support to all those impacted.” pic.twitter.com/CVpsxVIQhw

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 1, 2023

Walt Disney World is donating $100,000 to support relief and recovery efforts alongside Second Harvest of Big Bend. The 501(c)(3) organization based in Tallahassee, Florida, helps to feed the hungry, especially during crises like those brought about by Hurricane Idalia. The Feeding America program at Second Harvest encompasses a service area of 12,400 square miles and includes 16 counties in Florida. The not-for-profit organization operates a massive 41,000-square-foot facility that includes seven shipping docks and 12,000 square feet of freezer and cooler space. Second Harvest of Big Bend is intent on doing the most good possible, and with its fleet of 13 vehicles–box trucks, tractors, trailers, and Sprinter vans–food can be delivered to those who need it most.

In 2022 alone, Second Harvest distributed 14 million pounds of food in Florida.