0:09
welcome to daps magic the podcast I'm Mr
0:12
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0:18
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1:00
on January 7th 2025 two major fires
1:04
broke out around Los Angeles thousands
1:07
of people have lost their homes property
1:09
loved ones and even more have been
1:11
displaced as the fires continue to
1:13
ravage the area many people have stepped
1:16
up to try and make a difference and help
1:18
those who've been impacted by the
1:20
firestorms Jeff Gordon is one of those
1:22
people Jeff a longtime Disney fan and
1:25
all-around good guy put together a
1:27
fundraiser for the LA Regional Food Bank
1:30
this fundraiser has brought in thousands
1:32
of dollars to date it continues through
1:34
January 20th so there's still time to
1:37
make a difference we've included the
1:38
link in the description this also isn't
1:41
the first fundraiser that Jeff has done
1:44
however on this episode of daps magic
1:46
the podcast we're going to talk to Jeff
1:49
about his efforts to support those in
1:51
need after the Los Angeles fires some of
1:54
his other fundraising efforts Through
1:55
The Years how he got started and of
1:57
course we'll also talk about some Disney
1:59
as as well let's chat with
2:06
Jeff well welcome Jeff I'm so happy that
2:09
you're on the podcast with me tonight
2:11
and first things first we need to know
2:15
because you are one your superhero
2:18
origin story uh thank you very much Mr
2:21
DS for having me uh my superhero Orin
2:24
story I was born and raised in Southern
2:26
California in Santa Monica I am a
2:29
lifelong Disney fan I used to tease my
2:31
parents that I I should have been born
2:33
on Main Street but my sister one time
2:35
did not want to leave Main Street so
2:36
they had to call my dad out to to pick
2:38
her up so I was hoping to be born on
2:40
Main Street but I've always enjoyed
2:42
Disney theme parks movies animation and
2:46
I I love traveling now not just to the
2:48
Disneyland that we know in love in
2:50
Anaheim but all over the world that is
2:52
awesome and then uh you obviously
2:55
continued to love Disney through your
2:57
adult life as well but you also shown at
3:00
least from what I've seen of you in the
3:01
last few years a real love for your
3:04
fellow man and uh that has led to the
3:07
current fundraising efforts that you're
3:08
doing right now so could you tell me how
3:12
did you get going on this well I mean it
3:14
started back in uh 2020 during the peak
3:18
of or the start of uh covid-19 and the
3:21
parks were closed down and a lot of
3:23
people were out of work and you know we
3:26
always know that food security is a
3:27
problem here in the greater La in Orange
3:30
County region but it was just Amplified
3:33
to the point where you know Anaheim so
3:36
dependent on tourism dollars and working
3:38
all these places were closed down not
3:40
just Disneyland but the stadium workers
3:42
the mom and pop shops the hotels and I
3:45
just one day I said hey let me look for
3:48
a food bank and I found the Second
3:49
Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and I
3:52
said let's uh let's see how much we can
3:54
raise and it it the first year we did it
3:56
we it was an outpouring of support and
3:59
it's really about just helping others
4:01
when we can and you know through the
4:02
years we've done uh two years with the
4:05
Second Harvest Food Bank and then uh we
4:07
did there was Hurricane Ian I don't know
4:09
if you remember in Florida that impacted
4:11
our Central Florida friends then we came
4:13
back and did another year with um you
4:16
know with Orange County again because
4:18
now we're dealing with inflation and the
4:19
high cost of groceries um and then um
4:23
earlier this past year in 2024 we had um
4:26
hurricane Milton so we helped out again
4:29
uh where we could and right now um we're
4:32
at the LA Regional Food Bank um helping
4:36
people that have been impacted by the
4:37
horrible horrible Devastation um you
4:40
know the fires from all the way from
4:42
Alena to the Palisades and all over um
4:46
the Greater Los Angeles area it's just
4:48
been really tragic and but it's also
4:51
been a good sense of community to know
4:52
that there's that support out there not
4:54
just within the greater Disney Community
4:55
but you know people picking up shovels
4:58
and cleaning up or organizing doing
5:00
their own part to make it different and
5:02
and I really think that's been the fun
5:04
thing to watch through all of these is
5:06
because out of these terrible situations
5:08
and people are really
5:10
struggling what is it uh that uh Mr
5:12
Rogers says always look for the helpers
5:15
and and you really see people like you
5:18
and the people with the shovels and all
5:20
of these people really come forward and
5:23
and come from completely different walks
5:26
of life and come forward for a common
5:29
goal that's going to help their their
5:31
fellow man and um I guess my question is
5:35
let's start with the LA fires and and
5:37
the food bank how do you choose who
5:40
you're going to support or what that
5:42
cause is going to be yeah that's a good
5:44
question um the L Regional food bank is
5:47
part of the um feeding America Network
5:49
which also second har Harvest Food Bank
5:51
orang County and the one um in Orlando
5:54
um is also part of so we know they're a
5:56
501c we know we know they're highly
5:58
rated on charity navigation
6:00
um and we know that they have the
6:02
organizational skills like in crisises
6:04
like this um sure this is unprecedented
6:07
but you know with a monetary donation
6:10
they know what they can do right away to
6:12
give people groceries to to feed them
6:14
meals to give them support um and it's
6:16
just you know it's an easy way to
6:18
structure it and it's something that I
6:20
know that the people have donated know
6:22
that they can put their trust in that
6:23
donation to get to the right place and
6:26
that's how that's how I chose him I just
6:27
went through you know working with
6:30
um the fine folks out at Second Harvest
6:32
in Orange County I look for the one that
6:34
was most closely Affiliated here in Los
6:36
Angeles I love that do you pick um the
6:39
food related nonprofits because that's
6:42
such a basic Universal need yeah I mean
6:46
when I started this in 2020 it really
6:48
was a basic Universe me because I was
6:50
hearing from cast members that they were
6:52
they were struggling to make ends meet
6:54
and just even put food on the table and
6:55
not just for themselves but for their
6:57
families um so that's that's really want
6:59
to go with and food security is already
7:01
bad in in LA and Orange County even
7:03
without the pandemic and the fires and
7:06
you know all the crisises that keep
7:08
hitting us but it's Amplified um during
7:10
a crisis like this because now we have a
7:13
long-term recovery to help people get
7:15
back on their feet to get employed again
7:18
all the businesses that were destroyed
7:19
and also to get back in their homes yeah
7:22
absolutely um so why you just gave some
7:26
really good reasons but why is it
7:28
important for for me and other people
7:31
that see your posts on social media why
7:33
should people support these efforts I
7:36
mean because we should all believe in
7:38
the greater good and kindness first of
7:40
all but anything that you do to help
7:43
promote it does make a difference if you
7:45
can can donate that's okay but if you
7:48
can share that just helps amplify it to
7:52
um audiences that I may not be a part of
7:53
you may not be a part of and that brings
7:55
it up to um other people who may be able
7:58
to donate and then again
8:00
every donation really counts like $1
8:02
donated usually means three meals for
8:06
individual or a family so $1 $5 $10 $100
8:11
or more every donation every dollar um
8:14
counts so that's that's why it's
8:16
important for people to get involved
8:17
because they can make a difference in
8:19
small ways just even by sharing a post
8:22
or by donating a dollar or five doar
8:25
which really adds the context when in
8:27
your post you're like oh we're we're
8:29
$100 away from whatever Milestone you're
8:32
about to reach is what you're really
8:36
we're we're we're 300 meals away from
8:39
the next level like that's that's a much
8:41
bigger context when you think of it that
8:43
way that's that's really incredible um
8:45
what keeps you going through all of
8:47
these like you've been doing this now
8:48
that's about five years I guess like
8:51
what is that motivating factor that
8:53
keeps you going I didn't realize it was
8:55
five years but I guess it has been since
8:57
since we first started doing this um
9:01
it's it's been a long five years um but
9:04
I think what keeps me going is that
9:06
there is support from the community we
9:09
hear so much like online vitrio about
9:13
hate and Division and different things
9:15
that are going on but at the end of the
9:17
day like you said we're all human and we
9:19
want to come to come together as a
9:21
community as a Disney Community as a
9:23
larger community on the social medias
9:25
that I post whether it's on X formerly
9:28
Twitter blue guy on my own personal
9:30
Facebook or Instagram and just let them
9:33
know like hey we can do this as a
9:34
community and we can get you know we can
9:37
make it different so that just kind of
9:38
keeps me going and it and it you know it
9:41
makes you know that there's other people
9:42
out there that want to make a difference
9:44
too well especially right now uh I agree
9:47
with all of that we're also hearing and
9:49
seeing firsthand in a very different way
9:53
I feel like the um the impact that these
9:57
are having like on both sides the fire
9:59
side impact and then also the food side
10:02
impact because I mean I'm in Orange
10:05
County and I'm a little bit displaced
10:08
from where all of this is happening but
10:10
even I know you know a dozen people that
10:13
lost their homes this this last week or
10:15
so and I'm sure you know even more being
10:18
closer to where this is actually
10:19
happening and and so I guess um could
10:23
you tell us a little bit about um if you
10:25
have it in your head if you don't it's
10:27
fine um kind of the the feelings you're
10:30
seeing from people um the maybe if if
10:34
the stories in general or if you have a
10:36
specific of what you're seeing like what
10:38
is that that that hopelessness that
10:41
you're adding well we're all adding hope
10:43
to by by supporting this effort um I
10:46
think the biggest thing I'm seeing is
10:48
that you know not just
10:50
how devastating it was for Palisades and
10:53
Altadena the etin fire um they it also
10:57
impacted uh people that were surrounding
10:59
the areas because they lost power so I I
11:01
had somebody that reached out to me and
11:03
and told me that you know they lost
11:06
power and power didn't come back on four
11:07
days and they had just purchased
11:08
groceries with their last paycheck and
11:11
um you know that was supposed to be
11:12
enough to provide for the two weeks
11:14
until they got paid again but when you
11:16
go four days you can't use anything
11:18
that's in the fridge or the freezer so
11:20
it all had to be thrown out
11:23
unfortunately um and they went down to
11:25
the LA Regional food bank in person and
11:30
um pick up you know set of groceries and
11:32
I had heard from somebody else today who
11:34
went there and said that I'm I'm
11:35
literally homeless right now until I
11:37
figure out where I'm going but I was
11:38
able to get it you know get some food at
11:40
the LA Regional food bank so hearing
11:41
those stories you like you said like
11:44
there is a lot of hopelessness because
11:45
he keeps saying well why is this
11:47
happening how did it happen you know all
11:50
those things but there's a lot of Hope
11:52
because La has a big heart Los Angeles
11:54
has a big heart California has a big
11:56
heart Orange County has a big heart so
11:58
seeing that gives you hope and it gives
12:01
you um some sense of positivity that you
12:04
know as bad as it is right now we can we
12:08
can work together to make it better so
12:10
on our end if we can work together to
12:12
help provide uh more uh more security
12:15
for people to get food that's great and
12:17
there's other Charities and
12:18
organizations out there that are helping
12:20
them rebuild helping them with shelter
12:22
so all of them working in Tangent
12:24
together gives a lot of should be very
12:28
like people should be excited that you
12:30
know we have that heart we have that
12:33
resiliency absolutely uh it it kind of
12:37
also just brought up another question as
12:39
as you were talking about that is um
12:42
this fundraiser in particular goes
12:44
through the 20th is that correct correct
12:47
yeah so I knowing you there's probably
12:50
going to be something on the horizon um
12:54
who knows what it will be but my my
12:56
question is is like do you have any like
12:59
plan or Vision or like big ideas of like
13:04
this is what you would like to see this
13:07
community of support because I often see
13:09
when we we've seen you do these um these
13:12
fundraisers there's some similar um I
13:16
feel like there's some similar screen
13:18
names that I see popping up that are
13:20
always kind of like right there ready to
13:22
go and help you like do you have any
13:24
kind of an idea of where this could go
13:27
and what it could do uh um we were very
13:30
lucky and blessed um to have somebody
13:32
that was a matching donor for for a long
13:35
time I don't think they're on social
13:37
media anymore and when they donated they
13:39
donated anonymously so if there are any
13:42
people that want to be matching donors
13:45
I'm I'm the gigantic big Mickey ears I'm
13:47
I'm all ears to listen so um we're just
13:50
doing this you know again in small
13:52
increments and large donations and you
13:54
know um you know in any way we can to
13:57
help is is what's important I I you know
13:59
matching donors are nice um I know
14:01
through the actual food bank when you
14:03
make your donation they check to see if
14:05
your employer um do does match so I had
14:08
somebody that contacted me they work for
14:10
Google um and they were able to um you
14:13
know triple that uh donation and you
14:16
know Disney also does matching donations
14:18
and they also did um donate money as
14:21
well and La Regional food bank was one
14:22
of those um recipients which they're
14:24
very grateful for as well oh that's
14:26
really great and I believe Starbucks
14:27
does the same thing from uh having
14:29
raised money for Chu with Starbucks
14:32
employees Through The Years um what's
14:35
what's the hardest thing for you that
14:37
people can help with um I think the
14:40
hardest thing for me is that you know um
14:42
I I live you know I work in Santa Monica
14:45
and I just came back from a remote to a
14:47
physical location because we were remote
14:49
last week due to the horrible a quality
14:52
and also much of Santa Monica was either
14:54
under evacuation order or warning for
14:56
the Palisades fire um so I wish I could
15:00
be on X or blue sky all day and post and
15:04
tweet at Celebrities and get them to R
15:06
which they do or Sports reporters or
15:09
news people I just get out there but you
15:11
know just to to share just continue to
15:14
share and and and post about it even
15:16
you're posting and quoting and saying
15:18
you know something small or something
15:20
hopeful I think is important letting you
15:22
know literally a dollar does count
15:23
because that provides meals right away
15:26
or that provides a bag of groceries so I
15:29
think that's that's the most important
15:30
thing like I I really do wish I as much
15:33
time as I put into this and I try to
15:34
post as much as often and send direct
15:37
messages to uh many many Twitter
15:39
followers um you do and luckily none of
15:43
them have blocked me but yeah i' send it
15:46
to them but um just just to promote and
15:49
amplify as much as you can you know and
15:51
if you can't donate that's totally okay
15:54
um it's a hard time right now even as we
15:56
just started 205 it's a hard time for
15:57
everybody but just sharing and maybe
16:00
there's somebody out there that
16:01
contribute a little bit a difference
16:03
absolutely and and I I just would love
16:06
for people to um I hope they're picking
16:10
up what I know about you is Jeff is one
16:13
of the kindest people you're ever going
16:15
to meet and you are always the first one
16:17
to step in and help people when they
16:19
need it and to uh offer a word of
16:22
encouragement and uh you are just a
16:24
bright Ray of positivity in the Disney
16:28
and we're going to call it the Disney
16:29
and positive stuff Community cuz uh you
16:31
know that's that's our realm that's what
16:33
we aim for but um it's absolutely
16:37
amazing watching you step up every time
16:39
there's something like this happening
16:41
and um and seeing you just help people
16:44
like it's very inspiring and it's very
16:46
fun to watch and it's very um humbling
16:50
to get to be a a part of it in some
16:53
little way that we uh we do everything
16:55
we can to support you um and you know
17:03
you want to say since since 2020
17:06
including uh at last check we've raised
17:10
$80,000 for food Security in La Orange
17:15
and Central Florida with the hurricane
17:16
so we really are making a difference I
17:19
know it seems like oh like the food
17:21
security need is is high in general just
17:24
because you know things cost of living
17:26
is high where we live and people have to
17:29
work sometimes two jobs just to make en
17:32
but you know when there is a disaster
17:33
when there is a crisis people come
17:35
through time and again in this community
17:37
and Beyond the community um which is
17:40
great which is just so great to see and
17:43
we just need the community bigger and
17:46
we'll yeah yeah but it's it really is
17:50
inspiring to see and and you do such a
17:53
phenomenal job um raising money for
17:56
people and uh we do have the link for
17:58
where where people can donate to this
18:00
specific cause in the uh in the
18:03
description and we'll also put your
18:05
socials if that's okay with you Jeff in
18:07
the uh in the description as well so
18:09
people can follow and amplify your
18:11
message and because I think I think it's
18:13
just very important and you're not just
18:16
spamming people you're actually
18:18
connecting like this is what we're doing
18:20
this is where we're at this is where
18:22
we're going and and I think that makes
18:25
it um it makes it more of a mission as a
18:28
opposed to um something that you just
18:31
have to do like it it makes it it's it's
18:34
exciting and and hearing $80,000 in five
18:37
years that is that's incredible like
18:40
that's amazing like that's hat tip to
18:44
you because I'm I'm so blown away by
18:46
that and uh thank you for leading on
18:48
this and helping so many people we do
18:51
have to talk about I know I
18:54
know we will I know it says you know how
18:57
we hear in Disney it all starts with
18:59
what all it all started with a tweet and
19:00
then we went from there so or an expost
19:03
whatever they call it these
19:05
days I yeah whatever they are it doesn't
19:07
matter I mean it's always going to be a
19:08
tweet to me I think but um it's you know
19:12
there's something iconic about Twitter
19:14
and a tweet I and it brought so many
19:16
people together I I could go on all
19:18
night on that one too um let's let's
19:21
take a a a s side step and I want to
19:24
learn a little bit more about you for
19:26
our listeners Jeff about you and Disney
19:29
is that okay sounds good with
19:31
me all right so my very first question
19:34
which you might have answered when
19:35
you're telling us your origin story is
19:37
what is your very first Disney
19:40
memory I was I can remember back to when
19:43
I was three I have a very good memory
19:45
photographics so I think it was
19:46
Disneyland in 1983 and that was just
19:49
like on the precipice of when like new
19:51
fantasy land was opening so um I have so
19:54
many memories at Disneyland in Anaheim
19:56
and it always has a special place in my
19:58
heart as being the the original and and
20:00
do you do you have like that first like
20:04
um moment that like really stands out at
20:06
you maybe it's seeing a castle maybe
20:07
it's seeing electric parade whatever oh
20:10
Electrical Parade I know a lot of people
20:12
are very excited for pain the night that
20:14
to come back but I love the electrical
20:16
parade and I'm I I know it's sitting
20:19
somewhere in a warehouse and hopefully
20:22
it will make its Triumph and return for
20:23
another anniversary celebration soon but
20:30
memories it it was tied to usually
20:32
around when my birthday is in May so
20:34
it's always a good time like when you're
20:35
going to see with your family or or
20:37
friends I would love just even my bar
20:39
mitzvah music when I entered as a grand
20:42
entrance was the electrical parade
20:46
nice which is funny because that my
20:49
first memory of Disney is uh Pete's
20:52
Dragon in the electrical parade and I
20:54
was probably five or six at the time cuz
20:56
that was my first visit cuz we didn't
20:59
but um I I agree with you I'm all on
21:01
board with the electrical parade so
21:04
you've gotten to travel around the world
21:06
and I've loved watching you go to
21:08
different Disney theme parks um I think
21:11
you already answered this one but I
21:12
pre-wrote it so I'm going to ask you
21:13
anyway in fact I know you answered it
21:16
give us a more in-depth reason of why
21:18
Disneyland is your favorite part
21:19
actually let's switch it what's your
21:21
favorite International Disney theme park
21:25
that that's a tough one um uhuh so I
21:29
I've been lucky to go to Tokyo
21:32
Disneyland and Disney st as well as um
21:35
Disneyland Paris and Studios park I
21:37
think they're going to call it Disney
21:38
Adventure World who knows but um I
21:41
haven't been to Shanghai or Hong Kong
21:44
say there's nothing like Tokyo Disney SC
21:47
and I know you hear that a lot I know a
21:49
lot of people say well there's nothing
21:50
like it true but you go in there and and
21:53
you just are blown away um by the scope
21:57
and the scale of somebody that Disney C
21:59
does and you can get Lo even though you
22:02
may not ride many attractions sometimes
22:04
you can just get lost in there and eat a
22:05
meal and just kind of people watch and
22:08
there's nothing um as special as that I
22:11
I do give a shout out to Disneyland
22:13
Paris brilliant Castle Big Thunder
22:15
Mountain Top in the world but Tokyo
22:19
definitely definitely is the
22:22
best I completely agree with you so what
22:25
is your favorite Disney attraction of
22:27
all time well well I may have given it
22:29
away a little bit but I'm a Big Thunder
22:30
Mountain Railroad Super Fan I I love
22:33
that attraction and is Disneyland's
22:36
version your favorite or no right now
22:39
it's Paris because just the way um the
22:42
darkness and being in an island and the
22:43
way it ends the it just feels a lot
22:46
faster and and more thunderous than
22:49
maybe our counterpart out in Anaheim and
22:52
you go under the rivers of America
22:54
exactly in darkness uhhuh it it's so
22:59
cool I I think I would agree with you on
23:02
that one uh you've kind of answered this
23:04
one already as well but why do you love
23:06
Disney so much well it's a good question
23:10
um I I guess I could say we were a
23:12
Disney family like growing up with my
23:14
mom and my dad and my sister we would
23:15
just go to Disney a lot and it brought
23:17
back a lot of good um strong uh family
23:20
memories and then I was able to you know
23:22
take my cousins and and uh other family
23:25
members and make great friends within
23:27
the Disney community
23:29
um so it just brings a lot of joy and
23:31
and it gives a lot of Hope and
23:33
inspiration things that have been there
23:35
since day one since uh 1955 like Joy
23:38
hope and inspiration it's supposed to be
23:40
a place where you can escape the real
23:42
world you can come in you know even if
23:44
you don't go for the day you come in for
23:45
a few hours and you can hang out you can
23:48
press you know enjoy enjoy the parks and
23:51
I think that's what makes Disney that's
23:53
the Disney difference really because
23:54
it's just that magical experience it's
23:57
hard to explain to people who are not
23:58
Disney fans they kind of look at you
24:00
like you're what but it's it's it is a
24:03
Disney difference and I've converted
24:05
some of them too so that's great well
24:08
done I I completely agree with you it's
24:10
it's it's the reprieve from the daily
24:13
life and The Daily Grind and it just
24:15
it's it's something completely different
24:17
all right last one might be really hard
24:19
or it might be really easy what's your
24:22
snack that's a hard one I I'll admit it
24:25
cuz I do I do like to snack you know I'm
24:28
a I'm a grubber so I do like to snack
24:32
um in Anaheim they it's all about the
24:35
turtles I just love trying different
24:37
flavors of Turles especially around the
24:39
um Festival times when they they mix it
24:41
up Halloween time and you know the
24:43
festival holiday so the twis are are
24:45
great um but definitely TR and then I
24:49
think in um in Orlando um Citrus sto
24:54
it's a kind of a citrus Whip or
24:56
something I don't remember the Citrus Sr
24:58
um and that's really great Citrus roll
25:01
and especially especially being so hot
25:03
and humid in Florida you I could go
25:04
through like six of those and it's you
25:07
know I need it easily
25:29
thank you for listening to this episode
25:31
of dap's Magic the podcast please take a
25:34
moment to support Jeff's efforts as he
25:37
supports those who are struggling
25:38
because of the LA fires this could be
25:41
financially or this could just be
25:42
helping get the word out every little
25:44
bit helps and help is really what is
25:51
now as we look forward this year there
25:54
are some exciting things coming to dap's
25:56
Magic and also this podcast we have some
25:58
ideas that we think are great and we
26:00
hope that you will too if you have any
26:02
of your own ideas please let us know we
26:04
don't think any one person holds all the
26:09
ideas also if you'd like to get some
26:11
behind thescene looks at access with me
26:13
and the daps magic team we'd love to
26:15
connect with you on our patreon check it
26:17
out at patreon.com daps magic we have a
26:21
lot of fun over there and also have some
26:23
patreon exclusive stuff that happens
26:25
like a patreon exclusive show before
26:27
Geeks Corner each week called behind the
26:29
scenes we literally just enjoy sharing
26:31
life and chatting with our members
26:32
during this show generally and we'd love
26:39
there thank you again for listening to
26:42
daps magic the podcast I appreciate you
26:45
your friendship and your support and
26:47
your support for Jeff and his efforts
26:50
for those who've been so severely
26:52
impacted by the LA fires I hope that you
26:54
will make it a fantastic week and keep