Siblings Reunited at Foster Love’s Disney Days: A Heartwarming Tale of Family and Magic
The last time Amy saw her brother Zach was when they were removed from their biological parents’ home 3 months ago and placed in separate homes. For the first time in months, the pair was able to see each other at Walt Disney World, thanks to Foster Love Disney Days.
Their reunion is made possible by Disney Days, an event held annually by the foster care non-profit Foster Love. The moment Amy caught a glimpse of her brother she ran towards him, and the two were inseparable for the entire day. Their story is just one of the 100 children that enjoyed this event held on March 23. Disney Days is made possible by donations from the public, business sponsors, and volunteers who chaperone groups of children for the day.
“I get to spend the day at one of my favorite places while doing something important for a community that is so often overlooked. Spending time with these kids and watching them create memories with their siblings is a truly special experience,” shared Elizabeth, a Disney Days volunteer for the second year in a row.
Thanks to the community’s support of Disney Days, the children enjoyed Disney meals, classic sweet treats, and were each given $50 to select a souvenir to remember the day. “Bubbles!!!” was all Amy was able to comment as she ran around with her Little Mermaid bubble wand.
Professional photographers volunteered their time and talent to capture this day. All of the photos are organized in personalized photo books. “It was so special capturing these core memories and experiencing the magic of Disney all over again through the eyes of kids,” shared Alexis, photographer at the Disney Days event. The photo books will serve as a special keepsake the children will look back at forever.
“The first Disney Days was back in 2013 at Disneyland in Anaheim. A group of my friends and I pitched in to take some kids in foster care to Disney. When I learned that up to 80% of siblings are separated in foster care, I thought, what better place to reunite them than at Disneyland? That’s when our Disney Days program began. It had been a goal of mine to bring the program out to Florida, and I am proud our team is out here for the second year in a row,” stated Foster Love’s founder Danny Mendoza.
The story doesn’t end here. Foster Love is committed to spreading this magic far and wide, and they’re excited to announce that another Disney Days event will soon take place in Anaheim, California.
If you’re inspired to be a part of this incredible initiative, whether through volunteering, donating, or spreading the word, reach out to Foster Love at [email protected]. Together, we can continue to make dreams come true for siblings in foster care, one magical day at a time.
