Hotel awards US$ 15,000 to SMILE FOUNDATION for its positive community impact

(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - December 4th, 2014 - Mumbai - As a part of Hyatt Community Grants, a philanthropic program that empowers Hyatt colleagues to guide charitable giving, Grand Hyatt Mumbai announced today that it has awarded SMILE FOUNDATION with a significant grant to further the organization’s efforts to provide basic education and health care to underprivileged children across India.

The Hyatt Community Grants program, which is now in its seventh year, encourages hotels around the world to identify and nominate local nonprofits for funding consideration. The program builds on Hyatt’s belief that no one better understands a community’s most pressing issues – and their solutions – than those that live and work there.  

All participating nonprofits must have a significant local presence and must support one of Hyatt’s four focus areas – Environmental Sustainability, Education & Personal Advancement, Economic Development & Investment, or Health & Wellness.

“We are honored to support SMILE FOUNDATION and their valuable contributions to our community,” said Sunjae Sharma, general manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai. “It is so important for us to be active participants in our area, and this program gives us the great opportunity to give back to the local organizations that do so much for our city. The hotel has been working with this nonprofit for the last two years and the funds will support 500 children in their education program.

“Receiving this grant is a great honor, and we are thankful that Grand Hyatt Mumbai nominated our organization to be the recipient of this generous donation,” Vikram Singh Verma, Chief Operating Officer, Smile Foundation. “We know this grant will go a long way in helping us achieve our goals of providing basic education and health care to underprivileged children across India.  

Celebrating a Milestone
Funding for the Hyatt Community Grants program is provided through Hyatt. Grand Hyatt Mumbai will be among 31 Hyatt hotels around the world that will award grants to nonprofits in their local communities in 2014.

This year, the grant program is celebrating a significant milestone as it’s reaching two million dollars in grant funding since its inception in 2008 to nonprofit organizations in 123 communities and 38 countries around the world.

“It’s inspiring to see how far we’ve come and how the program has evolved over the years. Year after year, we are impressed by the growing partnerships that our hotels have developed with their local nonprofit organizations. To know that we’ve helped so many organizations that are committed to the success and prosperity of our communities is motivating,” said Brigitta Witt, global head of corporate responsibility for Hyatt. “I am thrilled that we have reached such a significant milestone of giving more than two million dollars throughout the last seven years of our grant program, and I look forward to continuing this positive momentum in the future to help many more of these well-deserving nonprofit organizations.”

Making a Difference on #Giving Tuesday
Hyatt is one of the newest companies to join the #Giving Tuesday social movement, a global day dedicated to giving back around the world. On December 2, 2014, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world come together for one common purpose – to celebrate generosity and to give back.

Hyatt has joined the social giving movement by announcing the recipients of the Hyatt Community Grants program on #Giving Tuesday and by encouraging all of its hotel colleagues around the world to join the conversation and engage in giving back throughout the entire holiday season.

For more information on the recipients of the Hyatt Community Grants program, please click here.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Hyatt Community Grants
Hyatt Community Grants is a key component of Hyatt Thrive, the company’s global corporate responsibility program. Hyatt Thrive is designed to help make the communities in which Hyatt operates places that associates are proud to work, guests want to visit, neighbors want to live and hotel owners want to invest. Hyatt Thrive harnesses the power of more than 95,000 Hyatt associates at over 570 properties around the world, to focus on positive local efforts that create a significant global impact. For more information about Hyatt Thrive, please visit www.HyattThrive.com.

About #Giving Tuesday
#Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2014, follows the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, kicking off the holiday giving season with a global day dedicated to charitable giving, combining the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities. Now in its third year, #GivingTuesday is a worldwide movement that celebrates the power of giving in all its forms.

This effort builds on the collective power of a unique blend of partners – charities, families, businesses and individuals – to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #Giving Tuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. For more information, visit www.givingtuesday.org.
 
For more information on Hyatt Community Grants, please visit www.HyattCommunityGrants.com

About Grand Hyatt
Large-scale and distinctive, Grand Hyatt hotels are places in which to enjoy company, socialise and entertain in the heart of major gateway cities and resort destinations. Signature elements include dramatic architecture, energetic lobby environments, innovative dining options, state-of-the-art technology, spa and fitness centres, and comprehensive business and meeting facilities catering to conferences, corporate meetings and social gatherings of all sizes.  For more information and reservations, visit hyatt.com.

Contact Us:
Sreyashi Dasgupta
Grand Hyatt Mumbai
Off Western Express Highway, Santacruz (East)
Mumbai, India, 400 055
Tel: +91.22.6676.1173
Fax: +91 22 6676 1235
Email: sreyashi.dasgupta@hyatt.com
Website: http://mumbai.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

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