Welcome back to Taylor Talks!
As you all know, I have been furloughed from my job as a Cast Member at Epcot since April because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between my home of Walt Disney World and the Disneyland parks across the country, tens of thousands of Cast Members have found themselves in this same position.
In the past few weeks, 28,000 Cast Members from both coasts have now also been told that they are being laid off. This has had a tremendous impact on Cast Members, their friends and family, and the Disney-loving community as a whole.
As you all know, I have been furloughed from my job as a Cast Member at Epcot since April because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between my home of Walt Disney World and the Disneyland parks across the country, tens of thousands of Cast Members have found themselves in this same position.
In the past few weeks, 28,000 Cast Members from both coasts have now also been told that they are being laid off. This has had a tremendous impact on Cast Members, their friends and family, and the Disney-loving community as a whole.
Since the furlough began, my focus has been on one thing: the impact it has taken on my adoption process. Being stuck in this limbo, unable to complete my home study because of the furlough, has been at the front of my mind for months now, and I know that it's something that I have mentioned here in the past. In addition, there has obviously been a financial impact as well. I am so incredibly grateful to know that I am not one of the 28,000 losing their jobs completely, but furlough will be continuing indefinitely at this point. It's difficult to be facing so many continuing unknowns.
Everything that we as Cast Members have been struggling through over these past six months has been heartbreaking. However, something wonderful has come out of all of this heartbreak... the community has truly come together to support Cast Members as we figure out how to make ends meet without our regular jobs.
I was incredibly lucky to find an amazing group on Facebook a while back called "Ear For Each Other." It's a group in which furloughed (and now laid off) Cast Members can share their side hustles, the small businesses that we've taken on or expanded during the pandemic. When I first joined the group, there were a few thousand people in it. Now, there are almost 22,000 people in the group! There are so many people who just want to support us in our time of need, which is absolutely incredible. It's a little weird to be in that position, being part of a group that does need so much support, but I'm so thankful that people are willing to help us out. I'd definitely encourage everyone to join that group, especially as we get closer to the holidays, because there is truly something for everyone there.
Now, I want to give back as well. Over the next few Mondays leading up to the holiday season, I'm going to be sharing "Cast Member Mondays". In each post, I'll be featuring Cast Members from Disney World and Disneyland who are either furloughed or laid off and sharing a little about their small businesses in their own words. I'll also share photos and links so you'll be able to reach them in order to support them.
So let's jump right in with our first few Cast Members!
Everything that we as Cast Members have been struggling through over these past six months has been heartbreaking. However, something wonderful has come out of all of this heartbreak... the community has truly come together to support Cast Members as we figure out how to make ends meet without our regular jobs.
I was incredibly lucky to find an amazing group on Facebook a while back called "Ear For Each Other." It's a group in which furloughed (and now laid off) Cast Members can share their side hustles, the small businesses that we've taken on or expanded during the pandemic. When I first joined the group, there were a few thousand people in it. Now, there are almost 22,000 people in the group! There are so many people who just want to support us in our time of need, which is absolutely incredible. It's a little weird to be in that position, being part of a group that does need so much support, but I'm so thankful that people are willing to help us out. I'd definitely encourage everyone to join that group, especially as we get closer to the holidays, because there is truly something for everyone there.
Now, I want to give back as well. Over the next few Mondays leading up to the holiday season, I'm going to be sharing "Cast Member Mondays". In each post, I'll be featuring Cast Members from Disney World and Disneyland who are either furloughed or laid off and sharing a little about their small businesses in their own words. I'll also share photos and links so you'll be able to reach them in order to support them.
So let's jump right in with our first few Cast Members!
Cast Member: Monica
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: MTP Photography, LLC.
Description: MTP Photography, LLC. is a small, Orlando-based photography business providing services in senior portraits, family photoshoots, and weddings/proposals. Care is taken to personalize sessions to reflect the preferences and personalities that make every family, every individual, unique.
Website: https://mtpphotography.myportfolio.com
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: MTP Photography, LLC.
Description: MTP Photography, LLC. is a small, Orlando-based photography business providing services in senior portraits, family photoshoots, and weddings/proposals. Care is taken to personalize sessions to reflect the preferences and personalities that make every family, every individual, unique.
Website: https://mtpphotography.myportfolio.com
Cast Member: Alex
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Furloughed
Business Name: JoyfulPeachCo
Description: JoyfulPeachCo stems from the nickname "Peach" which my grandma has called me my entire life, and my desire to bring joy to people through my handmade polymer clay earrings. Creating these earrings helps ease my anxiety and pass the time on furlough!
Website: https://etsy.me/33mDwRQ
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Furloughed
Business Name: JoyfulPeachCo
Description: JoyfulPeachCo stems from the nickname "Peach" which my grandma has called me my entire life, and my desire to bring joy to people through my handmade polymer clay earrings. Creating these earrings helps ease my anxiety and pass the time on furlough!
Website: https://etsy.me/33mDwRQ
Cast Member: Sheila
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: Pinnacle Leadership Development
Description: I'm an independent licensed financial professional in one of the highest paying industries in the world interviewing for entrepreneurial opportunities and providing free financial analysis. In these difficult times, determining our financial futures are more important than ever. I can help you learn to manage your money in many ways like rolling your 401K into a vehicle with guaranteed growth or starting your own family bank with compounding interest for certain growth that would be available for all of life's future uncertainties.
Website: Here's a link to the video of the company overview.
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: Pinnacle Leadership Development
Description: I'm an independent licensed financial professional in one of the highest paying industries in the world interviewing for entrepreneurial opportunities and providing free financial analysis. In these difficult times, determining our financial futures are more important than ever. I can help you learn to manage your money in many ways like rolling your 401K into a vehicle with guaranteed growth or starting your own family bank with compounding interest for certain growth that would be available for all of life's future uncertainties.
Website: Here's a link to the video of the company overview.
Cast Member: Meg
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: Next Page With Meg
Description: I've taken my 14 years of magic making experience and combined it with my love of books to form "Next Page with Meg" Book-tivity Bins. These consist of a high quality book and themed activities. From digging for dinosaurs, to being a doctor and learning about health, to building birdhouses, to taking off as an astronaut to the space station, to a day at the beach and so much more - it's my goal to provide almost everything needed to complete the activities.
Website: https://fb.me/next.page.with.meg
Location: Walt Disney World
Work Status: Laid off
Business Name: Next Page With Meg
Description: I've taken my 14 years of magic making experience and combined it with my love of books to form "Next Page with Meg" Book-tivity Bins. These consist of a high quality book and themed activities. From digging for dinosaurs, to being a doctor and learning about health, to building birdhouses, to taking off as an astronaut to the space station, to a day at the beach and so much more - it's my goal to provide almost everything needed to complete the activities.
Website: https://fb.me/next.page.with.meg
Stay tuned for more "Cast Member Mondays" between now and Christmas! Don't forget to join the Facebook group "Ear for Each Other" to find many more Cast Members to support as well!
Thanks for reading!
- Taylor
Thanks for reading!
- Taylor
RSS Feed
