5th Annual Carousel of Possible Dreams at Disneyland® Resort Raises Nearly $220,000 for 12 Orange County Children’s Charities

In Just Five Years, Event Has Raised $1.6 Million, Funding 101 “Possible Dreams”

 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2017)  – The 5th Annual Carousel of Possible Dreams, presented by Festival of Children Foundation of Costa Mesa, California, and hosted by Disneyland® Resort, raised $217,757 on November 15 to fund the “Possible Dreams” of 12 Orange County children’s charities. The Costa Mesa-based non-profit, which supports the efforts of 480 U.S. children’s charities, expects to raise additional funds before the online component of the fundraiser at www.festivalofchildren.org ends on November 27, 2017. To date the Carousel of Possible Dreams at Disneyland Resort has raised more than $1.6 million, funding a total of 101 Possible Dreams, or specific needs of participating charities.

 

Following six weeks of peer-to-peer fundraising, representatives from each charity assembled at King Arthur Carrousel in the early morning hours before the park opened to the public. With encouragement from Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, representative teams from each charity rode the iconic carousel up to 50 times around to complete their individual pledge drives to fund specific needs, such as creating safe homes or supporting the families of children with autism.

 

The participating charities this year include: Assistance League of Santa Ana, Changing Face of Beauty, Child Abuse Prevention Center, Family Support Network, Girls Inc. of Orange County, HOBY California, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, Orange County School of the Arts, Seneca Family of Agencies, Talk About Curing Autism, and Western Youth Services. The top fundraising team this year was the Assistance League of Santa Ana, which raised $38,642 to support Operation School Bell, which provides new clothing to thousands of students in Santa Ana. The top individual fundraiser was Jeanie Wahlberg, a member of Assistance League’s team, who raised $26,325.

 

“It was a truly magical morning, full of laughter and triumphs as these wonderful charities completed their fundraising campaigns to fund their individual ‘Possible Dreams,’” said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director, Festival of Children Foundation. “We are grateful to the Disneyland Resort for hosting Festival of Children Foundation for the last five years as we’ve raised more than $1.6 million for so many great children’s causes.” “The Carousel of Possible Dreams is a joy to host because it aligns with our focus on enriching the lives of children and families,” said Jill Bolton, director of corporate citizenship, Disneyland Resort. “We are pleased King Arthur Carrousel, which has delighted guests for generations, can be used to create happiness in the community, as well.”

 

FOCF has also sponsored several other Carousel of Possible Dreams, including ones in Central Park in New York City; on the Eden Palais, a spectacular 19th Century European Salon Carousel housed at the private Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Illinois; Griffith Park in Los Angeles; and at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Next year, FOCF will partner with Global Genes, a leading rare disease advocacy organization, to host the first RARE Carousel of Possible Dreams in San Francisco on World Rare Disease Day, February 28, 2018.

 

About Festival of Children Foundation

Festival of Children Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that serves to bring together and coordinate the efforts of charities, companies and individuals who actively work to improve the lives of children. Festival of Children Foundation gives a voice, guidance and support. 100% of the administrative costs are covered by designated funding, allowing donations to go further in direct support of programs and services that improve the lives of children. www.festivalofchildren.org.

 

Contact: Cassady Taylor
Festival of Children Foundation
(714) 438 – 3205
ctaylor@festivalofchildren.org

 

Download Press Release