MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) today awarded more than $320,000 (USD) to the 117 recipients of the 2016 Travel with Purpose Action Grants. Grants are awarded to Hilton properties and corporate offices that submit the most creative ideas to drive value for their hotels and strengthen the local communities where they operate.
"Now in our 4th year, Travel with Purpose Action Grants have been awarded to more than 300 properties providing over $880,000 (USD) to support projects around the world," said Maxime Verstraete, vice president of sustainability, Hilton Worldwide. "The grants are a clear demonstration of our team members' spirit of creativity and hospitality in addressing local social and environmental issues, which has enabled us to expand the program and increase our community investment year over year."
The Travel with Purpose Action Grant program provides a platform for properties to submit ideas aimed at tackling issues that align with Hilton's focus areas - creating opportunities, strengthening communities and preserving the environment. The program empowers Team Members to take ownership and generate out-of-the-box solutions, which results in the acceleration of the impact of Travel with Purpose around the world. Hilton Worldwide identifies Team Members as the most valuable asset of the business and truly celebrates the passion and perseverance they have of creating local social and environment projects that strengthen the global community. Key projects from each region include:
- The Conrad New York will use the grant to create a partnership with City Harvest, a food bank that collects excess food from restaurants, hotels and other establishments to feed the hungry. Team Members at the property will help City Harvest distribute thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables, offered free of charge by City Harvest's local Mobile Market, to hundreds of families in the local neighborhood. The grant will be used to help reduce costs of the fruits and vegetables available from the local Mobile Market and help support the operations costs of this moving market.
- The Hilton Panama will use the grant to install a natural herb garden in the hotel. The garden will create a natural, rustic look to the restaurant area and guests will benefit from the local produce being used throughout different menu options. The grant will be used to purchase supplies to build the garden-structure and fill it with seasonal produce.
- The Hilton Garden Inn Davos will use the grant to fund a mentorship program for local refugees to receive exposure to the diverse career opportunities available within Hilton. The program will cover all costs from transportation, to a personalized uniform and meals while at the property, to the operational costs of one-on-one interview practice and Team Member job shadowing.
- The team at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hangzhou East will use the grant to impact young people by empowering them to create their own future. The grant will be used to create a professional training curriculum for youth at the Hangzhou School for the Deaf. The team not only trains the youth on the nature and extent of meaningful careers in the industry, but they will also pay the interns for their hard work and dedication to the business.
