By Zach Johnson
The stars of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: assembled to celebrate a Super Hero-sized charitable initiative today, as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, and Brie Larson visited the Disneyland Resort to launch Avengers Universe Unites. The epic charity event supports The Walt Disney Company’s signature philanthropic commitment, Disney Team of Heroes, which delivers comfort and inspiration to seriously ill children around the world.
Downey, Hemsworth, Johansson, Renner, Rudd, and Larson teamed up in Disney California Adventure Park to celebrate the donation of more than $5 million to nonprofits supporting children with critical illnesses, including $1 million in cash from Disney to Starlight Children’s Foundation. The LEGO Group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon together donated more than $4 million in Avengers: Endgame toys and products, which will be sent to hundreds of children’s hospitals throughout the country, as well as to Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort in central Florida.
“The superheroes in Avengers personify traits like courage, perseverance, bravery and hope—the same traits countless kids and their families in children’s hospitals exhibit every day,” said Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, who joined the kickoff celebration. “We are grateful to have the Avengers cast take time out of their day to be a part of this effort to lift spirits and bring comfort to children during a difficult time.”
Kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim and Garden Grove joined the six actors to play at a larger-than-life LEGO® build at The LEGO Store in Downtown Disney, where they were treated to a visit by Amazon’s Treasure Truck stocked with Avengers: Endgame toys, including Hasbro action figures, Iron Man MK50 robots by UBTECH, and Funko POP! vinyl figures. “Nobody understands magical experiences better than Disney, and we’ve been proud to partner with them in bringing those experiences to kids in children’s hospitals for more than 20 years,” said Adam Garone, CEO, Starlight Children’s Foundation. “From delivering hospital care packages, to storytelling through Starlight Xperience virtual reality, to our recent Disney-themed Starlight Gowns, millions of seriously ill children have benefited from our amazing relationship together. And with this donation, even more kids will get to experience the magic of Disney.”