For its first-ever Veterans Institute workshop taking place Nov. 14, Disney has secured first lady Michelle Obama as keynote speaker, according to entertainment news outlet Variety.
The event, which will be held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., will help small and mid-sized companies create initiatives to hire and support returning servicemembers, the Disney Parks Blog stated. This is the latest effort by the large corporation to assist veterans with their various needs. Last year, Disney launched Heroes Work Here, a company-wide directive that raised funds for veterans' education and recruited former servicemembers for casting roles and more.
Variety reported that Disney has already hired more than 1,000 veterans since implementing the Heroes Work Here program. According to the news source, the company decided to partner with the first lady because of her strong support of veterans. Obama started the Joining Forces program in 2012, providing former servicemembers and military families with the right resources to secure full-time employment, the White House website states.
The news source also reported that ABC anchor Bob Woodruff is scheduled to appear at the workshop, as well as Department of Veterans Affairs senior advisor Rosye Cloud and Disney CEO and chairman Robert Iger.