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THE AHLA FOUNDATION awarded nearly $1 million, approximately $944,000, in scholarships to 369 students enrolled in hospitality programs at 88 colleges and universities nationwide. The foundation has disbursed more than $16 million in scholarships to date, supporting thousands of future industry leaders. It offers two types of scholarships: self-nominated, allowing students from any school to compete for one of eight scholarships, and school-nominated, requiring attendance at one of the foundation's 67 affiliated schools. "Scholarships are an integral part of the foundation's commitment to elevating, educating, and empowering individuals as they pursue careers in the hotel industry," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation's president. "These scholarships make it possible for the next generation of leaders to find their place in hospitality." The AHLA Foundation also awarded more than $30,000 to more than 20 students in a pilot freshman scholarship program. Three community colleges-Frederick Community College, Northampton Community College and Valencia College-participated to boost interest and enrollment in their hospitality programs.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation's third annual "No Room for Trafficking Summit" will take place on July 30, coinciding with the United Nations' World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The upcoming summit will evaluate the first-year impact of NRFT Survivor Fund grants on nearly 650 human trafficking survivors, AHLA Foundation said in a statement. "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," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation's president. "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." Last year's NRFT Summit announced the inaugural grantees of the NRFT Survivor Fund, including Safe House Project, BEST, Restore NYC, and the University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, the statement said. AHLA Foundation also shared data showing the impact of the $500,000 distributed to the four Survivor Grantees.

THE AHLA FOUNDATION granted $1 million to the 2024-2025 No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund grantees, eight community-based organizations aiding human trafficking survivors. The grantees were announced at the third annual NRFT Summit on July 30, coinciding with United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, a global campaign 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," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation's president. "This year, we were able to double the total awarded funds from $500,000 in 2023 to $1 million in 2024 and invite more than 40 community-based organizations to apply."