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Community Service

CHART has been incorporating community service projects into its semi-annual conferences since 2002. That's the CHART way of giving back to the host community, while creating bonds among members and giving trainers an example of how they can take this type of effort back to their locations.

Giving Back is Part of CHART

CHART Community Service Events in the past have included providing general cleaning, repair and painting to shelters, youth group community shelters, and entertainment centers for people with disabilities; sorting and stocking in food banks; clearing and weeding in community gardens; building bee hives for donation to communities working to support themselves; making and donating sandals for poverty stricken people in all parts of the world, and many other causes.  It is a wonderful way for conference attendees to network and grow, help those in need in the communities we visit, and get ideas for service event to bring back to their own companies.

 

CHART PAST COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS

106th Hospitality Training Conference

august 11-14, 2024

Chicago, IL

Chicago Service Event 1 - Beach Cleanup Chicago Service EVent 2 - HOPES

To kick off CHART's Chicago conference, a crew of attendees volunteered for Chicago Beach Cleanup. They removed over 122 pounds of trash from a Lake Michigan beach. At the same time, another group of volunteers gathered at the HOPES organization to speak about hospitality workforce opportunities to those formerly incarcerated. Two great service projects made positive impacts in different ways!

105th Hospitality Training Competencies Conference

March 2-5, 2024

Charlotte, NC

Charlotte Service Event

In Charlotte, we partnered with Turning Point, an organization that provides services and resources for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. While some volunteers made rooms in the womens' shelter more comfortable, others sorted wares for the Turning Point store, and still others prepared meals for residents.

104th Hospitality Training Conference

july 29-august 1, 2023

Orlando, FL

Orlando Service Event

To kick off CHART's Orlando conference, more than 30 attendees volunteered at Clean the World. They boxed 69,600 bars of soap into 360 boxes for people in need. A wonderful mission to save lives through good hygiene.

103rd Hospitality Training Competencies Conference

March 4-7, 2023

Seattle, WA

Seattle Service Event

At CHART Seattle, we partnered with Immanuel Community Services, who has served the Seattle community for over 40 years with a mission to alleviate the effects of poverty, hunger, homelessness, and addiction by providing community-based social services to those in need. They offer programs to serve those living in the margins of the community. During the service event, our volunteers sorted rescued food and clothing, deep-cleaned the kitchen, and packed hygiene items.


102nd Hospitality Training Conference

July 31- August 3, 2022

Austin, TX

Austin Service Event

We partnered with Foundation Communities, an Austin nonprofit committed to providing long-term, affordable housing and supportive services to low-income and formerly unhoused individuals and families. Foundation Community properties offer several supportive services, as well as community events like Supper Clubs! For our service event, CHART volunteers packed meals to share with the individuals who live at one of the Foundation Communities Properties.

101st Hospitality Training Conference

March 6-9, 2022

Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas Service Event

The Chef Jeff Project is an organization seeks to mentor and encourage disadvantaged youth, while teaching them the skills necessary to find and retain employment. CHART volunteers had the opportunity to work alongside 5 teenage kids/young adults from the Chef Jeff Project helping to prepare meals for the nearby Clark County Juvenile Detention Center which houses 50 youths under the age of 18. Volunteers hellped in a few different areas, from dishwashing, prepping/cooking stations all while getting the opportunity to interact with and mentor the youths from the Chef Jeff Project.

100th Hospitality Training Conference

September 19-22, 2021

Atlanta, GA

Solidarity Sandy Springs Food Pantry was started by a group of neighbors who were concerned about the welfare of local children and families facing food insecurity and economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CHART sent a group of volunteers to Solidarity Sandy Springs to help clients in the pantry, to sort and pack food items, and help with other needs during our 36th community service event on Saturday, September 18th.

 

Virtual Service Event - Fall 2020

September 30 - November 30, 2020

Virtual Event

We were determined to continue CHART's legacy of giving and caring in 2020, even though we had to conduct our service event virtually. With our Cooking & Cocktails for a Cause campaign, CHART pledged to raise money for Childhelp, a nationwide charity that has helped abused, neglected, and at-risk children across the nation for more than 60 years. Our goal was to raise $5,000 for Childhelp. AND WE SMASHED IT, raising $5,642! We are so proud of our CHART family for going all out on this first-ever virtual service event! HUGE thanks to our video participants, who were willing to put themselves out there to share their talents and raise money for a good cause. And thank you to everyone who donated to this campaign. At a time when the hospitality industry is focused on many other challenging priorities, the generosity of our membership was absolutely amazing.

 

 

 

98th Hospitality Training Conference

July 27-30 2019

Nashville, TN

Together We Rise: Together We Rise helps children in several ways including three main programs to support children in foster care: Sweet Cases, Build a Bike, and Family Fellowship Scholarship Program. Together We Rise has participants in every state fundraise to support these programs.

 

97th Hospitality Training Conference

March 2-5, 2019

Albuquerque, NM

Serving Our Industry: New Mexico college students spent the afternoon with CHART conference attendees hearing personal stories, learning about their career journeys, and discussing industry topics over lunch. They also participated in four one-on-one Speed Interview Sessions and a personal resume review session. Students were overwhelmed and inspired that CHART attendees would share their expertise with them in support of each one as they pursue careers in hospitality, culinary arts and restaurant management. Those in attendance walked away with more knowledge on the industry, scholarship information and prizes.

 

96th Hospitality Training Conference

July 28-31, 2018

Boca Raton, FL

Feeding Florida: Feeding Florida, formerly Florida Association of Food Banks, is the state’s network of food banks working to solve hunger. Their statewide network unites 14 member food banks to provide a healthy, adequate, and consistent food supply to every community every day. Feeding Florida member food banks support more than 2,600 local charitable agencies, which provide food directly to individuals and families in need to ensure a hunger-free Florida. Each year, the Feeding Florida network provides food to the 3.3 million Floridians facing hunger, including 1.1 million children and 700,000 seniors. Feeding Florida is a unified voice regarding hunger and food insecurity by focusing on each community’s needs.

 

95th Hospitality Training Conference

February 10-13, 2018

San Antonio, TX

Haven For Hope: Haven for Hope, a 22-acre campus that provides life-saving programs and services for families and individuals who are experiencing homeless- ness. The campus serves 1700 people daily, including a low-barrier emergency shelter, and the Transitional Campus, which provides more intensive services for single men, women and families. 

94th Hospitality Training Conference

San Diego, CA

July 15-18, 2017

Adopt a Beach: California’s Adopt-A-Beach program gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn about and actively participate in conserving coastal resources. The Adopt-A-Beach program is I Love A Clean San Diego’s most popular volunteer program. A statewide program funded by the California Coastal Commission, ILACSD coordinates over 5,000 volunteers annually through the Adopt-A-Beach (AAB) program. The Adopt-A-Beach program is not just about trash. It’s about the need for clean oceans, shorelines, and waterways. It is about Californians acting together to create lasting solutions to marine pollution. Our oceans and waterways have been a dumping ground for man-made debris. The harmful effects of marine debris are severe and include: • Negative economic and aesthetic impacts • Harm and risk to human health and safety • Injury and death to animals through entanglement and ingestion • Habitat destruction

93rd Hospitality Training Conference

The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO

March 4-7, 2017

Pikes Peak United Way: The Marian House, a partner of Pikes Peak United Way. The Marian House is a soup kitchen providing meals to the Colorado Springs homeless, 365 days a year and community outreach to those in outlying areas who cannot make it to the Marian House location. Another partner of Pikes Peak United Way, the Atlas Preparatory School is grades one through 12 where 91% of students receive free and reduced lunches. The school provides each student with identical school supplies to ensure every student has the same materials. Atlas’ mission is to empower all students to experience a life-long pursuit of self-fulfillment through education, character and community. Atlas sees themselves as a free, public school with the high standards and teaching talent of private schools, and the close attention of a charter school. 

92nd Hospitality Training Conference

Charleston, SC

July 30 - August 2, 2016

Keep Charleston Beautiful: The City of Charleston, South Carolina is world renowned for its history, natural beauty, and charm. Since 1977, Keep Charleston Beautiful has been working to maintain the beauty of the area through education, awareness and community involvement. A clean Charleston is a visible demonstration of the pride that area residents take in their community.

91st Hospitality Training Conference

Seattle, WA

February 20 - 23, 2016

ServicePalooza: In honor of starting our tradition of incorporating service events 16 years ago in Seattle, CHART members selected three organizations to help; including our original FareStart.

FareStart: FareStart helps the most pressing challenges of homelessness, joblessness, poverty and hunger. CHART members assisted with prepping food for shelter meals.

Immanuel Community Center: ICS operates four programs: a Food Bank, a Community Lunch, a Hygiene Center, and a residential Recovery Program. CHART volunteered by doing cleaning, prepping and painting their main gathering hall. In addition, the CHART volunteers prepared a family meal and ate lunch with the clients that ICS supports.

YouthCare: YouthCare builds confidence and self-sufficiency for homeless youth by providing a continuum of care that includes outreach, basic services, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education, and employment training. CHART supported YouthCare by organizing their shelter boutique which is where the homeless youth they support can "shop" to collect items and essentials to assist them. They are able to shop there with dignity and respect.

90th Hospitality Training Conference

New Orleans, LA

July 18-21, 2015

Café Reconcile: Cafe Reconcile is an organization committed to addressing the system of generational poverty, violence, and neglect in the New Orleans area by assisting at-risk young people with life skills and job training. CHART members recommended ways to enhance their curriculum and training models, and made improvements to the property, including cleaning, painting, and general maintenance.

89th Hospitality Training Conference

February 21-24, 2015

Napa, CA

Samaritan Family Center: Giving back to the community was even more meaningful as the area was rebuilding after the August 24, 2014 magnitude six earthquake. In the lobby of the hotel, CHART members volunteered by making comforting fleece blankets for the Samaritan Family Center, which provides shelter services for families in need.

88th Hospitality Training Conference

July 26 - 29, 2014

Atlanta, GA

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta: The Furniture Bank helps over 3,000 people in metro Atlanta every year by outfitting individuals and families moving out of homelessness, fleeing domestic violence and living with HIV/AIDS with the necessary furniture to live safely and securely. CHART volunteers worked in groups building coffee and dining room tables for those in need.

87th Hospitality Training Conference

March 1 - March 4, 2014

Colorado Springs, CO

Soles4Souls: Conference attendees gave back by collecting shoes for Soles4Souls, a global not-for-profit dedicated to fighting the impact of poverty through recycling gently worn footwear. The shoes collected were then donated/sold to carefully selected non-profit and private companies who provide training and support to ultra-small businesses in countries like Haiti where there are virtually no jobs to generate personal income. Shoes provide a second chance at life by proving a hand up to those in need.

86th Hospitality Training Conference

July 20 - July 23, 2013

Miami, FL

Shake-a-Leg Miami: Situated in the beautiful waterfront town of Coconut Grove, in the heart of Miami, Shake-A-Leg Miami is a not-for-profit which works with children & adults with physical, developmental and economic challenges in a marine environment, utilizing Biscayne Bay to teach environmental lessons, therapeutic sailing, swimming & kayaking. Our volunteers spent the morning picking up debris to create a safe and clean environment so all participants could enjoy.

85th Hospitality Training Conference

February 23 - February 26, 2013

San Diego, CA

The New Roots Community Farm: This former vacant 2.3 acre lot in San Diego's densely populated City Height’s neighborhood is a project of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego, which provides farming space and opportunities. CHART volunteers assisted with various tasks such as gardening, planting, weeding, mulching, composting, etc. The farm provides an opportunity for recently resettled refugees to become self-sufficient and contribute through community gardening, nutrition education and small-business farming.

84th Hospitality Training Conference

July 21 - July 24, 2012

Chicago, IL

Helping Hand Center: Helping Hand Center, a nonprofit organization assisting over 500 people with developmental disabilities become independent, was where CHART volunteers spent the morning working on an assembly line shrink-wrapping and packing envelopes and putting together various car components. The packing & assembly operation provides a unique supervised environment for real-world vocational training and also functions as a revenue-generating job-shop.

83rd Hospitality Training Conference

March 3 - March 6, 2012

Austin, TX

City of Austin’s Fire Department, Ladder 8: The Austin Fire Department was the recipient of over 250 teddy bears donated by CHART conference attendees. The collected bears were given to fire personnel to distribute and provide comfort to a scared child

82nd Hospitality Training Conference

July 30 - August 2, 2011

Las Vegas, NV

Opportunity Village: Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization serving children and adults in the southern Nevada community with intellectual disabilities, to enhance their lives and the lives of the families who love them. One of their largest events is Magical Forest, a small amusement park open during the holidays. CHART volunteers spent the day painting, clean and making small repairs at the park.

81st Hospitality Training Conference

February 5 - February 8, 2011

Lake Buena Vista, FL

Orlando Police and Fire Department: CHART conference attendees donated more than 550 teddy bears to the Orlando Police and Fire Departments who will distribute to children involved in traumatic events, such as fires, domestic violence and car crashes.

80th Hospitality Training Conference

July 24 - July 27, 2010

New Orleans, LA

Habitat for Humanity: Since its inception in 1983, the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity has been working in partnership with hard working, low-income families in New Orleans to build and finance new, safe, affordable homes. CHART attendees spent all-day working directly with a homeowner painting, digging fence posts, putting up a fence and installing insulation.

79th Hospitality Training Conference

March 6 - March 9, 2010

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Fire Department and Emergency Services: During this conference, CHART attendees presented over 300 teddy bears to area’s emergency personnel who will share with kids to help make a frightening situation a little less traumatic. Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco: CHART attendees also provided over $500 in restaurant gift cards for families who are staying at the local Ronald McDonald House to use while their children are in area hospitals.

78th Hospitality Training Conference

July 25 - July 28, 2009

Cleveland, OH

Transitional Housing, Inc. of Cleveland: More than fifty women from transitional housing programs in Cleveland, Ohio joined CHART members for a sit down dinner and one-on-one coaching on job search and interviewing skills. This community service event was unique in that it utilized the professional skills of CHART members, many of whom are the ones responsible for interviewing and training mangers how to hire. Dining together created an atmosphere of hospitality and mutual respect and allowed CHART members to share interviewing skills and interpersonal communication.

77th Hospitality Training Conference

March 7 - March 10, 2009

Portland, OR

Boys and Girls Club of Portland Metropolitan Area: This hands-on service event provided an opportunity for conference attendees to work together in teams and follow instructions to put together bicycles. In addition, attendees were surprised when local children (the recipients of the new bicycles) were on hard to receive their new gifts along with a backpack filled with a lock and helmet.

Portland Fire & Rescue Toy N Joy Makers: A retired area firefighter is now the president of this non-profit organization that has been giving toys to children in need since 1914. CHART members presented the group with more than 220 teddy bears.

76th Hospitality Training Conference

August 9 - August 12, 2008

Washington, DC

Capital Area Food Bank: The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest organization in the Washington metro area working to solve hunger and its companion problems: chronic undernutrition, heart disease, and obesity. CHART volunteers sorted and packed over 14,000 pounds of food and created over 1,000 lunch bags.

75th Hospitality Training Conference

March 1 - March 4, 2008

Minneapolis, MN

Hope for the City: CHART attendees gave back by helping at Hope for the City with tasks such as boxing, sorting and organizing corporate surplus products to fight poverty, hunger and disease.

Minneapolis Ronald McDonald House: To aid those living away from home as their children get care at an area hospital, CHART conference attendees donated over $1000 in gift cards for restaurants and hotels. This provides families alternative places to eat and stay.

Minneapolis Fire Department Firehouses #4 and #7: Conference attendees donated more than 400 teddy bears to fire personnel to distribute to children who they encounter in the field who need comfort during a traumatic situation.

74th Hospitality Training Conference

August 4 - August 7, 2007

Tucson, AZ

New Beginnings: CHART volunteers painted, landscaped and did repair work at New Beginnings, a local housing, counseling and support center for homeless women and children.

73rd Hospitality Training Conference

February 24 - February 27, 2007

Annapolis, MD

Annapolis Homeless Shelter – canceled at last minute due to snowstorm as the shelter needed to open up early to let people get out of the snow.

72nd Hospitality Training Conference

July 29 - August 1, 2006

Las Vegas, NV

Clark County Foodbank: The Clark County Foodbank serviced 125 charities that served 50,000 people each month.

71st Hospitality Training Conference

February 25 - February 28, 2006

Nashville, TN

Habitat for Humanity Nashville: Participants renovated training classrooms in the habitat for Humanity offices.

70th Hospitality Training Conference

July 23 - July 26, 2005

Boston, MA

Greater Boston Food Bank: This food bank is one of the largest Share Our Strength recipients in the Boston area. CHART volunteers sorted and repackaged food to be distributed to needy local families.

69th Hospitality Training Conference

February 26 - March 1, 2005

Denver, CO

The Spot: Downtown Denver's award-winning, nonprofit, drop-in urban youth center held a Spot Pride Day where CHART attendees swept, mopped, cleaned and moved furniture alongside Spot youth participants to help keep the center a safe and clean environment.

67th Hospitality Training Conference

February 28 - March 3, 2004

San Diego, California

Los Ninos: CHART attendees built beehives for donation to Los Ninos, who will distribute them to a cooperative of women who use honey to make food, candles and other products. This nonprofit organization educates disadvantaged women in Mexico.

65th Hospitality Training Conference

March 8-12, 2003

St. Louis, MO

Share Our Strength and Operation Food Search: CHART attendees volunteered their time and efforts for an afternoon at Operation Food Search, a non-profit organization that distributes free food for hungry families and helps build self-sufficiency through job training and placement in the foodservice industry.

63rd Hospitality Training Conference

March 2002

Seattle, WA

FareStart: A nonprofit that ran a restaurant used to train unemployed, underemployed and at risk individuals, providing them the work and life training and skills needed for a career in the hospitality industry.