NORTH BEND, Wash. — A woman from North Bend made such a big impact on her community that she is being recognized by Disney.
The Disney Magic Makers program rewards those who make a difference in their communities. Sarai Childs was nominated by a friend for her selfless service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All of us at Disney have been inspired by the countless acts of goodwill by people across the country throughout the Pandemic," Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks Experiences and products, said in a statement. "These magic makers and their stories have changed us in ways we never imagined.”
Disney is donating $400,000 to four non-profits that demonstrated resilience during the pandemic and is hand-selecting 50 nominees to join them for a celebration at Walt Disney World Resort.
Childs was selected by Disney for numerous reasons. She was a leader during the pandemic and stepped in to lead a program that provides meals to children in the Snoqualmie Valley, according to Disney.
Childs boosted the program from feeding around 170 children a week to upwards of 600. She also made a pivot with her own company to provide free hand sanitizer stations and other PPE supplies to small businesses in Washington state.
More than 1.5 million masks were distributed and Childs' garage became an impromptu staging area for her local food bank. She worked alongside her family in organizing and distributing food and supplies for more than six months.
In all, Childs' efforts helped provide assistance for nearly 10,000 organizations in Washington state. She also worked with the Seattle Chamber and QFC to orchestrate COVID-19 vaccine clinics that led to more than 18,000 doses being administered and accessible to underserved communities in our region.