WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Foundation (AHLA Foundation) announced a $500,000 donation from Hilton Global Foundation to support the No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund as part of the hotel industry’s united efforts to eradicate human trafficking.
The NRFT Survivor Fund will equip community-based organizations with the resources they need to engage and support trafficking survivors—from direct financial support for their short-term baseline needs to career-related support that can empower survivors and set them up for stability and success.
The donation comes after the inaugural No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council meeting at the Hilton National Mall/The Wharf property in Washington on October 25, 2022. The event expanded upon the industry’s ongoing work to unite its anti-trafficking efforts around a single, comprehensive approach. The advisory council, which is composed of industry executives representing all segments of the hotel industry, provides insights and strategies regarding NRFT.
“Thanks to Hilton Global Foundation’s generous donation to AHLA Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund, the hotel industry is in a better position than ever to prevent trafficking and support survivors,” said AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “This announcement further strengthens the hotel industry’s deep legacy of combatting human trafficking, and with the continued support of allies like Hilton Global Foundation, our success in this area will only grow.”
“Hilton has always operated under the belief that hospitality can be a force for good. As Hilton’s primary philanthropic arm, the Hilton Global Foundation was founded to positively impact communities around the globe and create a better world for travel, including fighting human trafficking across the hospitality industry,” said Erica Gordon, president, Hilton Global Foundation. “We are proud to support No Room for Trafficking’s mission of raising awareness, preventing human trafficking, and supporting survivors.”
No Room for Trafficking is an AHLA Foundation program that builds on the industry’s ongoing commitment to unite the hotel and lodging industry in thought leadership and action to drive forward the next phase of anti-trafficking efforts. Through NRFT, the industry is committed to providing economic stability for survivors while continuing to advance training and education to raise awareness about and stop human trafficking.
Since its inception, the NRFT Survivor Fund has raised more than $1.5 million.