USING OUR E.A.R.S.TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Education, Arts, Recognition... Social Impact
Our MMC'89 Initiative uses the United Nation's Global Goals as a framework for identifying and supporting a wide range of causes including those related to education, inequality and climate change.
Although our primary focus is Youth Arts Education & Mentoring, our team has raised more than $50 million to support all 17 of the Goals.
Read below to learn more
YOUTH ARTS EDUCATION & MENTORING
More than a variety show, the 'All New' Mickey Mouse Club was a world-class performing arts academy.
“MMC was the most informative experience I’ve ever had as an entertainer." — Justin Timberlake (Mouseketeer)
Inspired by the support they received from Disney, Mouseketeers are lending their unique insights to enhance the lives of young people through arts education & mentoring - essential for social and emotional well-being, and critical tools for establishing equity and access.
What We Aim To Solve
Adolescence is a critical period of development characterized by numerous challenges and transitions. During this time, young individuals are susceptible to various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Arts education can serve as a powerful preventive tool to mitigate potential negative mental health outcomes among adolescents.*
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replacing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). ESSA gave states more control in setting curriculums that could include more arts programs. States like California are leading the country in recognizing the value of arts education, but the country as a whole has a long way to go.
It is not feasible to solely place the burden of integrating arts education and mentoring into the educational framework for young people on state-run institutions, as their approaches are often outdated and may not adequately prepare youth for the future.
Traditional educational institutions prioritize preparing young people to obtain a diploma that will lead to employment opportunities. But the era when a diploma guaranteed a stable 9-to-5 job—one that you could depend on until retirement—has passed. Today's young individuals confront unique professional and emotional hurdles stemming, in part, from the pervasive influence of social media and the rise of the gig economy.
Pictured: Sky Vaux Fuller of LES MIS 🇫🇷⭐️ National Tour - "Little Cosette/Young Eponine" with her mentor Chasen Hampton (President, AITCF & Mouseketeer)
*Arts Education and Youth Identity - Renate Rohlfing M.M., M.A., MT-BC
Our Solutions
To thrive in a modern dynamic landscape, young people today require a well-rounded education with mentoring that includes training in the arts, entrepreneurship, and life-skills, as well as guidance in innovation, leadership and managing mental health.
Spearheaded by reunited Mouseketeers and others, we are working to fill in the gaps left by traditional learning institutions with youth arts education and mentoring programs that include real-world learning opportunities with professional creatives, established media companies, innovative small businesses, and fortune 500 companies across a wide range of industries.
Read about our programs below and join the Club to help the Mouseketeers create impact.
Programs
Mentoring
We match young adults and children pursuing a career in the entertainment industry (either in front of or behind the camera), with a Mouseketeer Mentor or other accomplished veteran of the arts, based on common interests, career goals, experiences, and life challenges.
Our mentorship service provides a safe space for both virtual and in-person meet-ups, and includes collaboration with parents for children under 18.
Mentors will make themselves available to discuss the unique challenges of the industry, and engage in meaningful dialogue on topics ranging from time-management and work-life balance to networking and job-seeking advice.
Experiential Learning
There's no education like real-world experience… actually seeing how the “sausage is made” and making a bit of the sausage yourself. Mouseketeers are leading experiential learning trips to Disney Imagination Campus for young people interested in performing arts, arts and humanities, science and technology, leadership, and innovation.
Workshops & Coaching
Mouseketeers are sharing their knowledge through workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions for personal growth and advancing student's careers. These sessions are designed to not only train young creatives on their craft, but also provide guidance on emotional well-being and the business of entertainment.
We've partnered with Educational Destinations to help facilitate our Experiential Learning trips to Imagination Campus at Walt Disney theme parks and Disney on Broadway!
For over 60 years, Disney has focused on educational workshops and programs for students. Disney makes it easy for students to develop their skills and grow while they are learning. Accredited partners ensure that Disney educational programs offer sound academic experiences for every curriculum.
Disney Imagination Campus
Explore Disney's reimagined curriculum in Arts & Humanities, Science & Technology, Leadership & Innovation, and Performing Arts at their East Campus at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and their West Campus at Disneyland Resort in California. See how they are inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers and doers through imagination powered learning.
Disney on Broadway
Breathtaking! Amazing! Phenomenal! You hear these adjectives time and time again from friends, family, and others who’ve just seen a Broadway musical production. It is a truly magical experience.
And, when traveling to New York City with students, experiencing a Broadway show is something you just can’t miss.
Meet Tour Director Amber Russell
When it comes to tour directing, Amber Russell is the perfect blend of fun, professionalism and knowledge. Amber’s personality, resourcefulness, attention to detail, fast thinking, and her work ethic make up the package of the ideal Educational Destinations Tour Director. Rest assured, if the unpredictable happens, Amber has the tools available to tackle the unpredictable and get the trip back on track.
Recent Impact Report
Inspiring Youth Around the World
We are particularly proud of our livestream to more than 2,000 Youth Delegates around the world, broadcast from a replica of the 90s Mickey Mouse Club set at Walt Disney World® Resort! We featured in-depth discussions with Disney Icons, Humanitarians, and Business Leaders including:
- Lee Cockerell (Former EVP of Walt Disney World Resort)
- Dan Cockerell (Former VP of Magic Kingdom)
- Pamela Landwirth (President & CEO of Give Kids The World)
- Dr. Florence Alexander (Philanthropist and Educator)
- Jodi Benson (Voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid)
- John Morris (Voice of Andy from all 4 Toy Story Movies)
- Linda Larkin (Voice of Jasmine in Aladdin)
- AY (Global Young Leader for UN’s Global Goals)
- James Dentley (Founder & CEO of JD3 TV)
- Axel Tillmann (CEO, World Summit & Board Member, AITCF)
- Chance Dite (Co-Creator of Be Great!)
- Adrian Boysel (Founder & CEO of Instagraphics)
- Kelly Lovell (CEO of Bridging The Gap)
- Jade Zaroff (Founder of Entertainment For Change)
MMC'89 SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVE
MMC'89 promotes the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) that address the global challenges we face. We support socially conscious efforts across a wide range of causes including climate action, feeding the hungry, critically ill children, victims of domestic abuse, music people in need, socially conscious entrepreneurship, quality education, job creation, veterans issues, and mental health concerns such as depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer's, among others.
Through events and awareness campaigns, we have helped raise more than $4.5 million to provide cost-free vacations to Disney World for critically ill wish children, provide groceries for families facing financial hardships, train socially conscious artists and entrepreneurs, and support victims of domestic abuse, among other important causes. We also make grants to organizations that align with MMC'89's philanthropic purpose.
MMC'89 is currently comprised of 12 PROGRAMS & CAMPAIGNS addressing all 17 of the UN's Global Goals for a better world by 2030. Check out a few of them below and visit our MMC'89 Campaign Page to learn more!
MMC'89 Programs & Campaigns
Cast Member Pantry
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
Use Your Bottle, Change Our World
We provide groceries and other food essentials to former and existing cast members and college students facing hardship. Launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cast Member Pantry has served more than 10,000 cast members in their times of need.
Global Goals 2 & 17
Use Your Bottle, Change Our World
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
Use Your Bottle, Change Our World
With support from the United Nations Development Program, we launched a campaign to promote a solution-based approach to reducing single-use plastic.
Global Goals 6, 12 & 13
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
We support veterans & first responders in partnership with Victory Bridge and others. Our activities have also included launching a campaign with Orlando Bloom to reduce the stigma around mental health in veteran communities, and we helped get 14 million units of personal protective equipment to those who needed it most during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global Goals 3, 8, 16 & 17
Day at Disney
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Veterans, First Responders & Healthcare Workers
Sponsoring merit-based trips with Mouseketeers to Disney World and Disneyland for outstanding youth. We proudly sponsored 24 underprivileged kids to join the Mouseketeers at #MMC30 - our 30th anniversary cast reunion at Walt Disney World® Resort.
Global Goals 4 & 17
Day of Service
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Mouseketeer-led volunteering. We recently arranged for a Mouseketeer and fans to volunteer at Nashville's Second Harvest Food Bank to help sort 4,000 pounds of food that will provide more than 3,000 meals to people in need. We're also included in Disney Matching Gifts and Disney VoluntEARS Grants programs.
Global Goals 1 - 17
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Day of Hope / Evening of Impact
Empowering days of pampering and evenings of impact for women who are victims of domestic abuse.
Global Goals 5 & 10
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Like the Mouse Club's "Hall of Fame Day," we spotlight community leaders and provide grants to those in need.
Global Goals 1 - 17
Why? Because It's Christmas
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Mouseketeers reunited for music and events that support MusiCares (by the GRAMMYs) and music people in need.
Global Goals 1, 2 & 3
Shop the Club, We Plant a Tree
Hall Of Fame / Be Great! Awards
Shop the Club, We Plant a Tree
With every purchase or donation in our Club Store, we plant a tree in your name to help off-set carbon emissions.
OUR PARTNERS
We've partnered with MusiCares on our Holiday album called Why? Because It's Christmas featuring reunited Mouseketeers. Released to support music people in need, the album debuted at #21 on Billboard. Mouseketeers reunited in Nashville on December 10, 2023 to perform the album live.
We've partnered with Educational Destinations - a Disney Parks Recognized Youth Travel Planner and Disney on Broadway's Preferred Travel Planner.
We work with Entertainment For Change (EFC) to amplify young voices and create a new kind of leader that is empowered to make the social and environmental change necessary for a sustainable future.
Multi-media, Events & Awards
"BE GREAT!"
Always In The Club works with Be Great! - a social impact-based production company that spotlights individuals, events and organizations who are advancing humanity and empowering the planet. Together we produce a variety of awards, events and media that inspire people to Be Great!
THE WORLD'S LARGEST LESSON
World’s Largest Lesson promotes use of the Sustainable Development Goals in learning so that children and young people can contribute to a better future for all. It is an education programme from Project Everyone.
Project Everyone produces creative resources for teachers and children that build the skills and competencies needed to take action for the SDGs.
