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Huntington Hotel Group Supports Charities
[March 17, 2015]

Huntington Hotel Group Supports Charities


Huntington Hotel Group continues support of charities throughout 2014. Each hotel chooses and supports nonprofits in their local community.

Residence Inn & SpringHill Suites Skyport, San Jose Airport, focused on feeding the hungry in 2014. General Manager David Issel reported that they volunteered for a day at Second Harvest Food Bank, accepting, sorting and packaging food donations. They also spent a morning working in the kitchen at Cityteam San Jose, helping to prepare meals that would feed 60 in-residence men at lunch and 200 homeless at dinner.

Instead of giving gifts to corporate clients this past December, the Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Campbell directed those funds to buy gifts for women at Cityteam's Heritage Home. Heritage Home provides long-term compassionate ministry to homeless, poor and abandoned women who are pregnant and have nowhere to turn but the streets. In November, the hotel donated turkeys to Louise's Pantry for Thanksgiving. They also partnered with Xilinx (News - Alert) to purchase and package shampoo, towels, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste for a local women's shelter.

Residence Inn by Marriott LAX/El Segundo took part in a variety of charitable events, including Marriott Day at the Los Angeles Food Bank, the Marriott Torch Relay Race, the 7th Annual Children's Miracle Network Golf Invitational BBQ and Marriott Volunteer Day at Children's Hospital, Los Angeles.

Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles/Burbank Airport helped with a very immediate, local need. The San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission, suffered a devastating fire. Courtyard General Manager Rosa Gutierrez told of how the hotel staff collected items to donate to the Mission as they rebuild.

Residence Inn Carlsbad is part of a group of Residence Inns in the San Diego area that take part in charitable events together. Duncan MacDonald, General Manager, reported that Carlsbad specifically helped to raise donations for the Helen Woodward Animal Center, a private, no-kill animal shelter that is committed to people helping animals and animals helping people. The facility receives no government assistance and relies heavily on private donations. The hotel also donated shampoo and soap for Red Cross kits. And in December, they participated in VA Packing Day, packing gift baskets for veteran military families in need.

Courtyard by Marriott Carlsbad donated a total of more than $2300 to the following: San Diego Surf Cup Charity Golf Tournament, Marriott Children's Hospital Charity Golf Tournament, California State Games Charity Golf Fundraiser and Viasat City of Hope Fundraiser.

Courtyard San Diego Central helped a range of charities throughout the year. General Manager Matt Spencer organized a toiletries drive for Monarch School,a local school that enrolls homeless children in San Diego. $200 worth of donations was collected. Later in the year, the hotel aided in fundraising for the Monarch School Foundation by giving a prize basket valued at $500.



Director of Sales, Tiffany Marcelino, raised $150 for ALS by challenging GM Matt Spencer and Director of Housekeeping, Paula Vargas, to "The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge." The whole staff was involved in dumping ice water on their heads for a good cause.

Pam Schwartz, Courtyard San Diego Central's Food & Beverage Director, completed the New York City marathon in support of Action for Healthy Kids, which brings nutritious meals and physical education to elementary schools in San Diego. She also hosted "Hands on Kids" and "Thanksgiving Side Dishes" cooking classes at the Courtyard to raise funds for this worthy organization.


In December, Roza Tabaza, Food & Beverage Supervisor at Courtyard San Diego Central, sponsored a troop deployed overseas. Roza led a drive at the hotel to collect items for a holiday care package to send to them.

Juanita Foley, General Manager of Residence Inn Tucson Speedway, reported a list of different charitable donations and events with which the hotel assisted. Hotel staff spent a Saturday morning in April painting fences, sports courts and gyms for a local low income school district. In the summer, for the Alliance League of Tucson's "Operation School Bell," they raised and donated enough backpacks, filled with school supplies and school shoes, to give to 17 school age children.

In the fall, Residence Inn Tucson Speedway raised $345 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Foundation. They also raised nearly $350 in cash donations, plus a barrel of food, for an area food bank.

The hotel staff was busy volunteering in December, too. They helped put on a movie night for families of deployed military based at Davis - Monthan Air Force Base. They also participated in the Davis - Monthan Cookie Crunch, baking and delivering cookies to the Active Duty Airmen Dorm for the holidays. Last, but not least, Residence Inn Tucson Speedway donated approximately $465 in toys to Toys for Tots.

Residence Inn by Marriott Colorado Springs Central held two blood drives with Penrose Hospital during the year. They also had a toy drive for the Salvation Army and a canned food drive for Care and Share.

Residence Inn by Marriott Atlantic City Somers Point made a couple of donations last year. They donated $400 to the Veteran's Administration of Atlantic County. They also donated $150 to the Police Athletic League of Atlantic County.

Courtyard Silver Spring Downtown in Silver Spring, Maryland, participated in two events with Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC. Hotel staff served hot beverages to participants in a hospital fundraiser. Then, during their employee Christmas party, the team made tie back blankets for patients at the Children's Hospital. Two housekeepers, the Operations Manager and the General Manager delivered the blankets, along with some toys, for children who might otherwise have to go without at Christmas.

Hilton Garden Inn Arlington/Shirlington, helped to sponsor TrafficStop HGI, a 5k charity race for raising awareness and money to fight human trafficking. The hotel's 5th annual Breakfast with Santa was held on their property to benefit Arlington Food Assistance Center. General Manager Christopher Ng said, "This year, with the help of our very generous guests and local community, we were able to donate 800+ pounds of food to help Arlington County's neediest families.

Carita Montgomery, Director of Sales at DoubleTree by Hilton Atlanta Airport, stated, "In January and February of 2014, the DoubleTree Atlanta Airport had the awesome opportunity to partner with Make-A-Wish Foundation of Atlanta." Two families were granted a wish and the DoubleTree provided complimentary hotel accommodations for the night before and the night after each of their journeys.

Carita also was able to serve on the committee for The Global Week of Service for all DoubleTree Hotels in Atlanta. They chose to participate in helping Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless. Each hotel gathered canned goods and non perishable items. Then, on October 25, more than 30 volunteers worked in the warehouse, cleared food trucks and prepared meals. They fed over 250 families that day.

The Residence Inn Miami Airport West joins in a couple of volunteer opportunities on a regular basis. Staff members donate their time at the local pet rescue shelter and help to find loving homes for the animals. Also, according to General Manager Tony Gomez, "We are proud to be the local sponsor of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. We donate space for their monthly meetings, as well as participate in their fundraising events throughout the year.

About Huntington Hotel Group

Huntington Hotel Group and its affiliates provide management and/or financial services to more than 50 full and select service hotels in fourteen states. The Company's management portfolio consists of more than 4400 full and select service hotel rooms. In addition to the current owned and managed hotels, the Company has three hotels under development. For more information, please visit www.huntingtonhotelgroup.com.

For more information, contact Donna Hegdahl (972)717-3500 x222 via e-mail at [email protected]


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