AHLA Foundation Announces $500,000 in Grant Awards From No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund
Inaugural grants underscore the hotel industry’s ongoing commitment and work to prevent human trafficking and support survivors
WASHINGTON - AHLA Foundation has awarded $500,000 in inaugural No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund grants to four community-based organizations that serve human trafficking survivors.
The 2023 NRFT Survivor Fund grant recipients will provide and promote resources to build survivors’ stability and self-sufficiency—from childcare and housing to transportation, career training and employment opportunities. The 2023 grantees are:
- Safe House Project, Emergency Services Program
- Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Safe Jobs Collaborative
- Restore NYC Inc., Economic Empowerment Program
- University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, “Future in Training” Hospitality Job Readiness Program
The NRFT Survivor Fund is a first for the hospitality sector. It launched last year, expanding upon the hotel and lodging industry’s efforts to support trafficking survivors. Since its launch, the fund has grown to $3.4 million. As part of its continued commitment to combatting this issue, AHLA Foundation is matching NRFT Survivor Fund contributions up to $5 million (with an overall goal of $10 million in total contributions by the end of 2023).
The No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund shows unprecedented alignment by the industry in the fight against trafficking and provides crucial support to survivors on their path forward. By investing in organizations leading on the front lines of survivor support, the collective impact of the industry can help break the trafficking cycle and make a positive difference in the lives of survivors. Anna Blue, president, AHLA Foundation
The NRFT Advisory Council, which includes executive leaders from across the hotel and lodging industry, announced the grants as part of the NRFT Summit at the Park Hyatt in Washington, DC. The event highlighted the hotel industry’s critical efforts in the fight against human trafficking and featured a keynote address from U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Cindy Dyer.
About No Room for Trafficking
No Room for Trafficking is an AHLA and AHLA Foundation awareness program that builds on the industry’s ongoing commitment and work to end human trafficking. Through elevating, assessing, educating and supporting the fight to end human trafficking, the campaign will ensure hotel employees are continuously developing a better understanding of ways to identify traffickers and potential victims in hotels.
About The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.
About the AHLA Foundation
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, works to support the hotel and lodging industry's greatest asset – our people. By connecting employees, employers, and their communities, we seek to continuously nurture a culture of professional growth and belonging. When the people who work in our industry thrive, the industry thrives along with them. The Foundation is funded by grants and charitable contributions from generous individuals and organizations who want to support individuals seeking opportunities to thrive in the hotel and lodging industry. Learn more at www.ahlafoundation.org.
