Meet the Bell-Wallaces: Finalists for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!

The Bell-Wallace family from Pickerington, Ohio, were announced this week on Good Morning America as one of the five finalists in the running to be named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year!

The Bell-Wallace family’s volunteer story began 17 years ago when Kevin and Carey Wallace approached Dreams on Horseback to ask if they could offer a therapeutic horse program for their 4-year-old daughter Morgan, who had been diagnosed with autism. Kevin and Carey were so impressed with Morgan’s progress, they have been dedicated to supporting the program ever since. Morgan’s grandparents, Darlene and George Bell, also joined as volunteers, with Darlene going on to create a new program to help support veterans experiencing PTSD. Now, every event at Dreams on Horseback features the volunteering efforts of all three generations of the Bell-Wallace family!

The Bell-Wallaces were one of thousands of families across the country nominated for the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year contest by schools and nonprofits registered with the Disney Family Volunteering Reward Program.

Now five amazing finalist families are being featured on GMA  this week, sharing the stories of their incredible volunteer work, followed by a nationwide online vote starting on Oct. 11 where you will be able to vote for your favorite family!

The winning family will be announced on GMA on Nov. 1 and will receive a dream vacation to Walt Disney World, where they will be the guests of honor at a special event to celebrate Family Volunteer Day on Nov. 23. The nonprofit or school that nominated the family will also receive $10,000 to continue their important work in the community.

Make sure to tune into every day this week to meet the rest of the incredible Top 5 families, and stay tuned for more updates on the competition and details on how you can vote!

If you and your family would like to get involved with family volunteering, you can find opportunities in your area or search DIY projects that cover a variety of issue areas. Nonprofits and schools in the United States can join the Disney Family Volunteering Reward Program and earn Disney Parks tickets by hosting volunteer family events.