This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Universal Orlando Foundation and the Universal Orlando Resort Team Member Volunteer Program. Since the program’s inception, Team Member volunteers have committed more than 580,000 hours of service and are on track to set a record by exceeding 50,000 hours this year.

To honor the milestone, 125 Universal Orlando volunteers recently supported Second Harvest Food Bank, a local branch of Feeding America, by sorting 42,000 pounds of food to provide more than 30,000 meals to Central Florida families.

Team Members also recently gave back to teachers in Central Florida by supporting 25-year community partner, A Gift for Teaching. These volunteers assisted teachers with “shopping” for free school supplies for their students and classrooms. With help from a grant from the Universal Orlando Foundation, 250 teachers will be gifted with a full set of classroom supplies throughout the school year, benefitting more than 6,000 students.

“I’ve had the honor of seeing firsthand how our Universal Orlando Team Members go the extra mile to make a difference in their communities,” said Diane O’Dell, Vice President of Community Relations for Universal Orlando. “It’s their continued commitment to our culture and the big-hearted way they give back that allows us to touch the lives of so many in Central Florida. It’s also fitting that we celebrated our 25th anniversary alongside our long-term partners at Second Harvest Food Bank and A Gift for Teaching.”

Universal Orlando Resort has created a positive impact on Central Florida residents through charitable donations, diverse community partnerships, Team Member volunteers and unique signature programs. This includes Bites, Camera, Action – a mobile food pantry that has delivered more than 1.6 million meals to school children, veterans and other community members, as well as Art of Tomorrow – a program benefitting students interested in the arts and entertainment industry through unique, hands-on learning experiences.