WASHINGTON, D.C.—AHLA Foundation announced the 2024-2025 No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund grantees, eight community-based organizations that provide services and resources to help support human-trafficking survivors on their path forward. This year’s Survivor Fund grantees were announced at the third annual NRFT Summit, hosted on United Nation’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, a global campaign urging action to end child trafficking.
“The No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund is a first for our industry, and already, it’s a powerful example of collective impact and what we can achieve when the industry comes together,” AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue shared. “This year, we were able to double the total awarded funds from $500,000 in 2023 to $1M in 2024 and invite over 40 community-based organizations to apply.”
2024-2025 Survivor Fund grantees include:
- 3 Strands Global: Supports survivors with workforce development, training, and career placement services.
- Empowered Network: Supports survivors by addressing societal barriers through advocacy and tactical funding that propels survivors toward economic freedom.
- New Friends New Life: Provides trauma-informed counseling, case management, economic empowerment services, and access to emergency services.
- Rebecca Bender Initiative: Equips law enforcement, community leaders, professionals, and families to identify and properly resource those affected by trafficking.
- Restore, NYC, Inc.: Provides job placement, entrepreneurship, and career development services.
- University of Maryland SAFE Center: Provides survivor-centered and trauma-informed services that empower trafficking survivors to heal and reclaim their lives.
The total awarded also includes transitional support to 2023-2024 grantee organizations Safe House Project and Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST).
In addition to the Survivor Fund awards to community-based organizations that provide direct services to survivors, the AHLA Foundation also awarded microgrants for specific material purchases to 10 organizations that support the development, empowerment, and economic independence of survivors.
AHLA Foundation recently shared quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact made by the inaugural NRFT Survivor Fund grantees in 2023-2024. In one year, the NRFT Survivor Fund supported nearly 650 survivors with workforce training, employment preparedness, and emergency exit services.
The NRFT Advisory Council Co-Chairs Joan Bottarini, chief financial officer at Hyatt, and Farah Bhayani, general counsel and chief compliance officer at G6 Hospitality, said, “On behalf of the NRFT Advisory Council, we are honored to celebrate the community-based organizations who are providing much-needed emergency and safety support services, personal aid or employment assistance to human trafficking survivors.”
The NRFT Advisory Council and Survivor Fund supporting companies include Aimbridge, Choice Hotels, Extended Stay America, G6 Hospitality, Hilton Global Foundation, Hyatt Hotels Foundation, IHG Hotels & Resorts, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Marriott International, Real Hospitality Group, Red Roof, Sonesta, Summit Foundation, Vision Hospitality Group, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
