AHLA Foundation Announces Third Annual No Room for Trafficking Summit

Highlights first year of Survivor Fund grantee impact on nearly 650 human trafficking survivors

Washington, D.C. (June 28, 2024) – AHLA Foundation today announced their third annual No Room for Trafficking Summit will take place July 30, 2024, the same day as the United Nation’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. 

At last year’s No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Summit, the inaugural grantees of the NRFT Survivor Fund were announced, including: Safe House Project, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Restore NYC, Inc., University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors. AHLA Foundation also shared quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact the four Survivor Grantees have made to-date with the $500,000 disseminated across their respective organizations: 

• Collectively, the four Survivor Fund grantees have helped 643 survivors receive emergency services to support their exit from human trafficking
• 514 survivors have been prepared for employment through trainings and coaching sessions
• 240 individuals have been prepared to provide workforce training to survivors
• 80 survivors have been connected with employment opportunities
• 66 survivors have secured non-exploitive employment

AHLA Foundation President, Anna Blue, shared, “In 2022, we launched the NRFT Survivor Fund – a first for the hotel industry – to expand the hotel and lodging industry’s efforts to support trafficking survivors. Since launching the Survivor Fund, we have grown our total raised to $7.5 million towards our goal of $10 million, and we look forward to awarding $1 million in grants to community-based organizations that support human trafficking survivors at our third annual Summit.”

The AHLA Foundation’s efforts to combat human trafficking are guided by the NRFT Advisory Council, composed of 12 leaders across the hospitality industry and led by Co-Chairs Joan Bottarini, Chief Financial Officer at Hyatt, and Farah Bhayani, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at G6 Hospitality, parent company of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. 

The NRFT Advisory Council and Survivor Fund supporting companies includes 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, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

For more information about the AHLA Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking initiative, visit https://www.ahlafoundation.org/nrft/.  

Download Visual: 2023-24 Survivor Fund Impact infographic

About 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.