Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront awarded Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northeast Florida wa grant for $12,000 to further the organization’s efforts in enriching and preparing students by providing meaningful and relevant workplace mentoring experiences.
The check was presented to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida Dec. 4 at Terry Parker High School. Hyatt employees were invited to the school to be catered to by the Terry Parker Culinary Arts’ students, who prepared a three-course meal for their mentors, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront General Manager Luis Aloma and Terry Parker Principal Megan Pardue.
The grant celebrates Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront’s Beyond School Walls partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida and Terry Parker High School culinary arts students. The program is a workplace mentoring program that connects employees from local businesses with career academy students that are focused on the same industry. Managed by Big Brothers Big Sisters, the students are transported to the business site monthly for a three- to four-hour session where they receive training, job shadowing, and mentorship.
The grant is part of Hyatt Community Grants, a philanthropic program that empowers Hyatt colleagues to guide charitable giving. The Hyatt Community Grants program, which is in its 11th year, encourages hotels around the world to identify and nominate local community-based organizations for funding consideration. The program works under the assumption that no one better understands the local community’s most pressing issues and their solutions than those who live and work there. Since 2008, Hyatt Hotel employees have helped direct nearly $3.5 million to 260 nonprofits in 52 countries throughout the world.
Funding for the Hyatt Community Grants program is provided by the Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront is among 29 Hyatt hotels around the world that will award grants totaling $365,000 to nonprofits in their local communities in 2018.
“We are honored to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida and their valuable contributions to our community,” said Aloma. “We consider the members of our community an integral part of the Hyatt family, and through our relationship with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, we have seen first hand the way its work enables our city to thrive.”
Alford said receiving the grant was a great honor. “We are thankful that Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront nominated our organization to be the recipient of this generous donation,” she said. “We know this grant will go a long way in helping us continue our mission of empowering children to reach their full potential by placing a caring adult mentor in their life.”
By Marcia Hodgson
