Hilton Effect Foundation Reveals 2020 Grants and Achieves $1 Million in Global COVID-19 Community Response Efforts
The Hilton Effect Foundation announced today its 2020 Hilton Effect grantees, which include community-based organizations playing a direct role in COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts. Through these grants and donations already made by the Foundation, which serves as Hilton’s primary philanthropic arm, the Foundation has now awarded more than $1 million dollars in COVID-19 community response efforts.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201022005724/en/
Hilton Effect Foundation reveals 2020 grants and achieves $1 million in global COVID-19 community response efforts. (Graphic: Hilton Effect Foundation)
“A core part of the Hilton Effect Foundation’s work is to support our communities around the world through both good times and bad,” said Kate Mikesell, president, Hilton Effect Foundation. “From the very start of the pandemic, we have been listening to community leaders about the direct and indirect challenges they are facing as a result of COVID-19. Based on their feedback, we have focused our grants on driving inclusive recovery and strengthening community resiliency.”
The Hilton Effect Foundation’s grants aim to address some of the most urgent humanitarian needs arising from the pandemic: food security, sanitation/hygiene, economic security and clean air and water. Consistent with Hilton’s commitment to respecting human rights, driving racial equality and promoting inclusive growth for all, the Foundation prioritized organizations addressing these needs, while also directly supporting minority populations and other vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Terence Lester, executive director of grant recipient Love Beyond Walls, which works to raise awareness of societal needs and support disadvantaged individuals, including those experiencing homelessness, said, “We’re all interconnected and can help one another during challenging times. This is why it’s critical for organizations like Love Beyond Walls to join forces with the Hilton Effect Foundation in order to support local communities that have been severely impacted by the global pandemic. Together, we can make a difference and create a more equitable and inclusive world.”
The 23 grants have been awarded in the following categories:
Food Security: The United Nations World Food Programme predicts that the number of people facing acute food insecurity could nearly double this year to 265 million due to the economic fallout of COVID-19. The Foundation has awarded grants to the following organizations addressing this need:
- Food Forward (United States)
- Harvest Against Hunger (United States)
- Musubie (Japan)
- Scholars of Sustenance (Thailand)
- Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (South Africa)
Sanitation and Hygiene: Handwashing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, yet many communities around the world lack access to clean water and basic hygiene products such as soap. The Foundation has funded the following grantees that help bring water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices to communities around the world and promote effective hygiene:
- Eco-Soap Bank (Africa)
- Emmanuel Foundation (Indonesia)
- Habitat for Humanity Fiji (Fiji)
- Love Beyond Walls (United States)
- Water.org (Brazil)
Economic Security: COVID-19 has had a disproportionate and devastating impact on the employment status and economic security of vulnerable populations around the world. The Foundation has funded the following organizations that are creating and providing inclusive opportunities for these populations, including training and employment programs:
- ACE Charity (Nigeria)
- BCAGlobal (United States)
- Springboard (United Kingdom)
- International Rescue Committee (Jordan)
- KARI Foundation (Australia)
- Lligam (Spain)
- My Block, My Hood, My City (United States)
Clean Air and Water: The communities that are hardest hit by racial and social injustice have also been disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis, environmental pollution and now COVID-19. The Foundation awarded grants to the following organizations to advance environmental protection, with a focus on furthering environmental justice and addressing those concerns in underserved communities:
- Ecamir (Russia)
- National Environmental Education Foundation (United States)
- Planet Water Foundation (India)
- Student Conservation Association (United States)
- The Nature Conservancy (Peru and China)
To learn more about the Hilton Effect Foundation and this year’s grantees please visit: https://hiltoneffect.org/grantees/
About Hilton Effect Foundation
The Hilton Effect Foundation is Hilton’s primary international philanthropic arm. The Foundation is a nonprofit established in the U.S. and is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Foundation awards grants, in alignment with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals, that have a positive impact on travel destinations around the world. Foundation grants are awarded throughout the year in accordance with tax and legal requirements. Visit HiltonEffect.org for more information.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class brands comprising more than 6,200 properties with more than 983,000 rooms, in 118 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company, Hilton welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its 100-year history, earned a top spot on the 2019 World’s Best Workplaces list, and was named the 2019 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. In 2020, Hilton CleanStay was introduced, bringing an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection to hotels worldwide. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the 108 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including digital check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201022005724/en/
Contact information
Media Contact
Lana Petruzzo
Hilton
+1 703 883 6065
Lana.Petruzzo@Hilton.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
H2SITE Secures EIC Accelerator Funding to Deploy a Flagship 1 TPD Ammonia Cracker Using Membrane Reactor Technology at a Port in North-West Europe3.7.2025 09:40:00 EEST | Press release
H2SITE has been awarded the EIC (European Innovation Council) Accelerator program for a project aimed at deploying a first-of-its-kind ammonia cracking unit capable of producing 1 ton of high-purity hydrogen per day. The system is based on H2SITE’s proprietary palladium-based membrane reactor technology, which enables the simultaneous catalytic decomposition of ammonia and selective hydrogen separation within a single unit. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702142283/en/ Ammonia Cracker using Membrane Reactor Technology This breakthrough technology offers several compelling advantages over conventional ammonia cracking processes: Lowest Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) from ammonia due to high efficiency and integrated operation Reduced energy consumption, operating at significantly lower temperatures (400–450 °C) than traditional cracking methods (typically 600–800 °C) High-purity hydrogen output, compliant
ISDA and Ant International Lead New Industry Report on Use of Tokenised Bank Liabilities for FX Settlement and Cross-Border Payments Under Project Guardian3.7.2025 09:00:00 EEST | Press release
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) and Ant International led the Project Guardian FX industry group to develop a new report for implementing tokenised bank liabilities and shared ledger in cross-border payments and foreign exchange (FX) settlement. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702791535/en/ Report on Use of Tokenised Bank Liabilities for Transaction Banking by ISDA and Ant International, under the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) Project Guardian The joint report is produced under the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) Project Guardian, a global collaboration between policymakers and key industry players to enhance liquidity and efficiency of financial markets through asset tokenisation. ISDA and Ant International are members of the industry group and lead the FX workstream to develop FX data specifications, risk management frameworks and FX documentation. Other contri
Curve Pay and Thales Join Forces to Securely Transform Digital Wallets on iPhone3.7.2025 09:00:00 EEST | Press release
Curve, the ultimate digital wallet, today announced deepening its collaboration with Thales, the global leader in advanced technologies, delivering secure modern payment solutions for financial institutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702696837/en/ Thales D1 Platform to power CURVE PAY (Photo: Thales) This partnership comes on the back of Curve launching Curve Pay on iOS, marking a watershed moment in mobile payments. This partnership is a significant step to reshaping everyday spending, allowing Curve customers to benefit from NFC payment directly in the Curve App for contactless payments in store for all end-users on iOS and Android. Curve Pay is underpinned by Thales’ D1 platform on iOS and Android in Europe which allows customers to digitize a payment card through a mobile wallet. The cloud-based D1 platform operates in real time, enabling seamless integration with existing systems to deliver secur
Medimaps Group Launches In Europe TBS Osteo Next-Generation Software For Advanced Bone Microarchitecture Assessment3.7.2025 09:00:00 EEST | Press release
Medimaps Group S.A., a global leader in AI-driven bone microarchitecture imaging solutions, announces the European launch of its MDR-cleared next-generation TBS Osteo Advanced software. Following the product launch in the United States last month, this next milestone reflects the company's commitment to advancing osteoporosis detection and bone health management worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702082335/en/ Medimaps' TBS Osteo next-generation software The TBS Osteo Advanced software delivers refined correction for soft tissue thickness anterior to the lumbar spine, ensuring inclusivity of TBS assessment across a wide range of body phenotypes. It also introduces new system management capabilities, allowing hospitals and healthcare networks to centrally manage the TBS software on their DXA systems fleet, and to standardize workflows across multiple locations. These improvements enhance operational
Year-old European startup Maisa named alongside Google and Amazon in elite list of leading AI agent vendors in top global US research reports by Gartner3.7.2025 02:01:00 EEST | Press release
Maisa, a rising star of enterprise AI, has been named by leading global research and advisory firm Gartner in its list of leading vendors for developing reliable AI agents. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702640749/en/ Maisa founders David Villalón and Manuel Romero Inclusion in Gartner’s 2025 Hype Cycle for AI and Hype Cycle for the Future of Work marks the first time a Spanish startup has been mentioned in these influential reports. The company, which is barely a year old and made its first raise of $5m+ from leading US investors last year, now finds itself named alongside global giants Amazon Web Services, Google, Salesforce and LangChain. The Gartner Hype Cycle for AI Agents provides an overview of emerging technologies in AI, helping organizations navigate the evolving landscape of autonomous software agents. The Hype Cycle for the Future of Work provides CIOs with a crucial human-first lens on the tra
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom