Nearly 100 Universal Orlando Resort Team Members recently volunteered at The Great Big Backpack Build – A Gift For Teaching’s annual fundraising event that fills backpacks with school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students in need across Central Florida.  

With the help of our Team Members and a $45,500 grant from the Universal Orlando Foundation, volunteers at this year’s event filled more than 21,000 backpacks with school supplies. Universal Orlando Resort has supported A Gift For Teaching’s mission of providing educational resources that empower teachers to inspire future leaders for more than 25 years. 

“What’s wonderful about this event is it really demonstrates the collaborative efforts of the Universal Orlando Foundation and our Universal Orlando Volunteers,” said Valerie Read, Senior Director of Community Relations and current A Gift For Teaching Board Chair. “We’re honored to walk alongside the great group at A Gift For Teaching to make such a positive impact on the lives of students and teachers in our community.”  

Over the course of two days, Team Members helped set up for the event at the Orange County Convention Center, checked in volunteers and worked together in assembly lines to fill the backpacks with supplies including notebooks, pens, pencils, markers and more. Many of them were repeat volunteers like Jennifer Apfel, a Merchandise Inventory Manager on the Global Merchandising team – this was her fourth year volunteering at The Great Big Backpack Build.  

“When I started at Universal six years ago, I was so excited to be part of a volunteer program,” said Apfel. “My team just loves this event, and it’s amazing how it’s gotten bigger and bigger every year.”  

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