Host employees joined colleagues from The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa for a day of service dedicated to strengthening the Naples community. Held at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, the event brought together over 50 participants — including Host asset managers, capex directors, and our Miami-based colleagues as well as general managers and property teams from all three of our hotels — to build relationships and give back to two nonprofits making a meaningful difference for families in Southwest Florida.

 

Fighting Food Insecurity with Meals of Hope

The day began with a high-energy meal packing event benefiting Meals of Hope, a Naples-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending hunger and food insecurity through meal packing and food distribution. 

Following welcome remarks from Host and Meals of Hope representatives, volunteers formed assembly lines for a friendly competition to see which property could package the most

meals. The ballroom filled with cheers and encouragement as teams raced to package breakfast meals for distribution to local shelters in Immokalee, FL. The nutritious breakfast packs will help fill an important gap for shelters that often have limited breakfast options for residents.

By the end of the competition, participants had exceeded their original goal of 15,000 meals, packing 16,848 meals that will be distributed to local families.

Congratulations to The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, whose team came in first place and earned the inaugural Meals of Hope Community Impact trophy.

“The energy the Host and hotel teams brought to the event was absolutely incredible. In just 45 minutes, they packed more than 16,000 meals, making an immediate impact on hundreds of local families facing food insecurity. Their generosity, enthusiasm and commitment to serving others show how a team united around a common purpose can truly change lives.” - Julyvette Pacheco, Director of Community Impact, Meals of Hope. 

 

Supporting Students Through the Guadalupe Center

Following a networking lunch, participants turned their attention to supporting students served by the Guadalupe Center, an organization that empowers children and families in Immokalee through education, mentoring and family support programs that help students succeed from early childhood through high school graduation and beyond.

Working together, volunteers assembled 300 backpacks filled with grade-specific school supplies for elementary school students, helping ensure children begin the school year prepared to learn. Host also donated all of the backpacks and school supplies, along with an additional contribution to support the organization's ongoing work.

“Thank you again for such an incredible partnership. The 300 backpacks, additional school supplies and generous financial support will make a tremendous difference for our students as they begin the new school year.” - Wendy Wagner-Michaelsen, Community & Volunteer Engagement Manager, Gaudalupe Center.

 

Strengthening Communities Together

The Naples event demonstrated the power of collaboration between Host and our hotel teams. We are grateful to our volunteers from Host, The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa for their enthusiasm and dedication to giving back. Their efforts reflects our shared values and our continued commitment to supporting the communities where we live, work and own hotels.

Learn more about Host’s Corporate Responsibility program and our commitment to our corporate citizenship.