By Josh Taylor
This year was the 17th annual Universal Day of Giving. On Nov. 10th, 2022 over 100 Universal Hollywood team members volunteered their time in order to give hundreds of elementary school-aged children a great day with new clothing, school supplies, and Minion mayhem! Approximately 300 kids from Operation School Bell took over the Woody Woodpecker parking lot to get fitted for clothing, take time to draw, and get set up for school with new books, backpacks, and toys. As part of Universal’s Discover A Star Foundation, their in-house philanthropic organization, the Day of Giving has become a warm heartfelt tradition around Thanksgiving time, allowing children in less fortunate conditions to have the opportunity to “Ride the Movies” and meet some of their favorite characters, while also setting them up for future success.
Day of Giving and Universal also support MEND Foodbank, TreePeople, and Together We Rise on this day making it a big investment back into the community the studio and theme park are a part of. It’s one thing to enjoy a day at Universal, but it’s another to see what great work they are doing and how charitable they are in giving to the Los Angeles area, especially with children. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Universal Studios Hollywood for this event for a few years now and nothing brings a tear to my eye and a smile to my face more than seeing a young child run around the park, with a minion plush in tow, having an amazing day, especially knowing the hardships they’ve faced at such an impressionable age.
To learn more about Universal’s Day of Giving and their Discover a Star Foundation, visit community.universalstudioshollywood.com