Giving Back: Disney prepares 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for Florida families
ORLANDO, Fla. - Walt Disney World plans to feed 1,000 families in its annual tradition with the Coalition for the Homeless this Thanksgiving.
What we know:
In a partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless and Harbor House of Central Florida, Disney took part in preparing a giant Thanksgiving meal for those in need this holiday.
Disney chefs and cast members met at the Coalition for the Homeless in Orlando on Nov. 25 – rolling in carts full of ingredients into the center.
John Prieto, executive chef of Disney's Hollywood Studios, said collaborating with the Coalition for the Homeless is their favorite time of the holiday because they give back to the community and help out people experiencing hardships.
It's part of the core values at Disney to give back to people in need, Prieto said.
"It's one of our favorite times of the year. We look forward to it," he said.
An ongoing tradition
The backstory:
Disney has been cooking and serving food to individuals and families at the Coalition for the Homeless for over 25 years. In this time, Disney has prepared and served over 25,000 meals. Disney chefs spent 30 hours preparing and packaging Thanksgiving meals.
Several cast members volunteered their time to help cook and serve meals. Cast members have volunteered over 132,000 hours this year, Disney said.
What's for dinner?
By the numbers:
"It takes about 15 of our most talented chefs to put this together," Prieto said. "So, it's no small feat, but we definitely think it's worth it."
400 pounds of roasted turkey
140 pies
25 gallons of turkey gravy
220 pounds of mashed potatoes
50 gallons of cranberry sauce
100 pounds of green beans