Philadelphia, Pa. -- Loews Hotels has joined the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) in its commitment to America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth. Founded by General Colin Powell, America's Promise is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the character and competence of the nation's youth.

Loews Hotels' commitment is based on their groundbreaking community outreach program introduced in 1990, the Good Neighbor Policy. In an effort to recognize the need for businesses to be socially responsible, the program was developed to enhance and increase support for the company's ongoing activities. By focusing on several areas of social concern ranging from fixing up neighborhood shelters and parks to sponsoring literacy programs to organizing fundraisers for local charities, the Good Neighbor Policy is designed to lend support to the communities where Loews owns and manages hotels.

Loews Hotels supports national charities corporately and requires each of its 17 hotels to conduct specific activities, including:

  • donating excess food to local food banks and hunger relief organizations;
  • donating used goods, such as linens, towels, and furniture to local organizations;
  • supporting local programs for underprivileged youth and local schools by organizing and providing cooking classes, mentoring, and recreational activities;
  • participating in Welfare to Work programs, providing training to help individuals transition into the workforce; and
  • encouraging volunteer activities for hotel employees.

"Between the employees themselves and the resources available at our hotels, we are in a position to have a very positive impact on the communities in which we operate," said Loews Hotels Chairman and CEO Jonathan Tisch. "As such, we feel a strong responsibility to respond in a pro-active manner to the issues and causes that affect the people who live and work there. The program was developed to enhance existing local efforts of each of our hotels with a more fully-structured, company-wide commitment."

Loews Hotels joins a number of other lodging companies supporting the association in its commitment to America's Promise, including Marriott International; Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide; Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; and Howard Johnson International. For more information, please call Emily Kanders, Loews Hotels director of public relations, at (212) 521-2833 or visit www.loewshotels.com.

About AH&LA

AH&LA is a 92-year-old federation of state lodging associations throughout the United States with some 13,000 property members worldwide, representing more than 1.7 million guest rooms. AH&LA provides its members with assistance in operations, education, and communications, and lobbies on Capitol Hill to provide a business climate in which the industry can continue to prosper. Individual state associations provide representation at the state level and offer many additional cost-saving benefits.

Tia T. Gordon
Manager Of Media Relations
(202) 289-3153
AH&LA