Chris Nassetta, president & chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide and Simon Vincent, area president, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide at the Watford Mencap Centre refurbishing the centre's activity rooms and garden along with more than 100 Hilton Team Members during Global Week of Service. — Photo by Hilton Worldwide
Team Members from the Hilton Worldwide Singapore Area Office, including Martin Rink, president, Asia Pacific, marked the inaugural Global Week of Service serving in Batam, Indonesia strengthening communities by helping to help build two homes in a local community. — Photo by Hilton Worldwide
Team Members from the Hilton Worldwide Operations Center in Memphis worked alongside Volunteer Mid-South to serve Alpha Omega Veterans Services to construct an outdoor community gathering space. This work - and other projects throughout the day, including renovation work at the transitional housing facility, job readiness training, and campus beatification work - culminated in a dedication ceremony of the outdoor pavilion with Team Members and veterans. — Photo by Hilton Worldwide

During the week of November 11-18, Hilton Worldwide celebrated its first annual Global Week of Service and furthered the company's Vision to "fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality."

"fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality."

In just eight days, Team Members at more than 600 properties and offices harnessed their passion for hospitality to complete more than 800 volunteer projects in 401 cities across the company's global footprint. The projects, which addressed hundreds of societal needs around the world, focused on engaging Team Members and delivering on Hilton Worldwide's commitment to Travel with Purpose by creating opportunities, strengthening communities, celebrating cultures and living sustainably.

Throughout the week, Hilton Worldwide's network of partners, including Arbor Day Foundation, Feeding America, Global FoodBanking Network, Global Soap Project, Hilton in the Community Foundation, International Youth Foundation, Points of Light and Room to Read, as well as more than 660 local community organizations, were bustling with Team Members as they shared their passion through service. From Michigan to Mumbai, events ranged from rebuilding community centers to mentoring young people to restoring natural habitats to helping military veterans in need. Many projects were an extension of ongoing community partnerships and previous service projects that Team Members have been involved with in their local communities as part of the company's efforts to provide continual and lasting local impact where people live, work and travel.

Volunteer events occurred throughout the week as hotel properties and offices led hundreds of acts of service in more than 51 countries including events in McLean, Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, Memphis, New York, Orlando, Shanghai, Singapore and Watford.

"Whether it was assembling food baskets at a food pantry, or cleaning up the playground at a local school, the collaboration and compassion shared by Team Members during our Global Week of Service truly brings to life what hospitality is all about," said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide. "We are only as strong as the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing to lead in our communities through volunteer service year-round."

Global Week of Service is just one example of how Hilton Worldwide leverages its hospitality expertise and engages Team Members to serve its global operating communities. In September 2012, Hilton Worldwide launched the Purpose Portal, a new online tool for discovering, coordinating and tracking Team Member and property volunteer projects, and has since seen more than 12,800 Team Members log more than 42,000 service hours globally. To learn more about Global Week of Service and see photos and videos of Hilton Worldwide volunteer events, visit: www.hiltonworldwide.com/serve.

Join Jennifer Silberman, vice president, corporate responsibility, this Thursday, November 29 at 1pm EST for the next #HWchat – an online conversation with Hilton Worldwide insiders. Silberman will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural Global Week of Service and answer your questions about corporate responsibility at Hilton Worldwide. Join the conversation at www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide and RSVP to the conversation here.