The cruise line continued its ‘Wishes Set Sail’ campaign by distributing hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to students in Abaco and Eleuthera
ELEUTHERA, The Bahamas (Sept. 8, 2022) – Disney Cruise Line (DCL) recently donated 1,320 backpacks filled with school supplies to students in The Bahamas as the cruise line continues its ‘Wishes Set Sail’ campaign to support youth initiatives in key port communities.
The donations benefited students in Abaco, near Disney’s destination at Castaway Cay, and in Eleuthera where the cruise line continues progress on its new experience at Lighthouse Point.
“We are proud to continue supporting local students and contribute to their success, especially at the start of an exciting new school year,” said Joey Gaskins, Disney Cruise Line’s Regional Public Affairs Director for The Bahamas and Caribbean. “We hope that donations such as this one and others made through our ‘Wishes Set Sail’ initiative inspire and empower youth from our key port communities to achieve their dreams.”
To assemble the backpacks, DCL Crew Members based both in Florida and The Bahamas volunteered their time over several days filling the bags with pencils, notebooks and other school supplies.
DCL partnered with the South Abaco District Local Government Authority to distribute backpacks to students living in South Abaco, including the Sandy Point and Crossing Rock communities, where many of the line’s Castaway Cay Crew Members call home. Meanwhile, members of the Lighthouse Point team distributed backpacks at The Starting Line’s inaugural Back to School Family Fun Day in Eleuthera.
“The start of the school year is an important time for our community. I’m extremely grateful to have a partner like Disney, who consistently raises the bar on what it means to provide truly impactful support to our residents,” said Hon. Clay Sweeting, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Development and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera. “I look forward to continue working with Disney Cruise Line in bringing new opportunities and economic growth to Central and South Eleuthera.”
In total, Disney Cruise Line will distribute $400,000 through its ‘Wishes Set Sail’ campaign throughout the Disney Wish’s inaugural season. Previous recipients include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida Brevard County Branches and Junior Achievement Bahamas, with more announcements to follow soon.
This ‘Wishes Set Sail’ donation adds to DCL’s long-standing commitment to empower Bahamian students to be successful in school and in life. DCL has previously supported educational initiatives throughout The Bahamas including recent donations of school supplies, tablets and textbooks. In 2019, DCL also partnered with All Hands and Hearts to commit $1 million to help rebuild schools in Abaco following Hurricane Dorian. DCL Crew Members have also hosted reading programs in Nassau to open students’ eyes and imaginations to the art of storytelling.
DCL has long been committed to The Bahamas. Since its maiden voyage in 1998, Disney has introduced countless families to the beauty and spirit of The Bahamas and has provided significant economic impact while demonstrating a strong commitment to the environment and the community. Approximately 75 percent of the cruises offered by Disney have at least one stop in The Bahamas, all five of its ships are registered in The Bahamas and it is estimated that DCL operations currently contribute more than $70 million toward the Bahamas gross domestic product annually.
DCL has committed to filling all positions on Castaway Cay with Bahamians across a range of disciplines with opportunities for training and advancement. Disney has received all the necessary approvals from the Government of the Bahamas and has begun work at Lighthouse Point, which is expected to create more than 300 construction-related roles – more than doubling the number of jobs DCL committed to in its Heads of Agreement.
For more information on DCL’s commitment to The Bahamas, visit LighthousePointBahamas.com.
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About Disney Cruise Line: Since its launch in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has established itself as a leader in the cruise industry, providing a setting where families can reconnect, adults can recharge and children can experience all Disney has to offer. Today, Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its blueprint for family cruising with a fleet of five ships — the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish — and two more ships planned in 2024 and 2025. Guests can sail out of ports around the world on exciting itineraries to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska and Europe, among others. The homeport for Disney Cruise Line remains Port Canaveral, Florida, where it has its own specially designed terminal.
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