Summary:
- AHLA Foundation held its No Room for Trafficking Summit and announced Survivor Fund grantees.
- The summit featured expert panels and sessions on survivor employment and trafficking prevention.
- Since 2023, the program has awarded more than $2.35 million to 27 organizations.
AHLA FOUNDATION RECENTLY held its annual “No Room for Trafficking Summit” to advance practices and reinforce the industry's commitment to addressing human trafficking through collaboration, education and survivor support. It also announced the 2025–2026 NRFT Survivor Fund grants, which support organizations providing services and resources for survivors.
The event aligned with the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30 and convened survivors, experts and industry leaders, AHLA Foundation said in a statement.
"For years, the No Room for Trafficking initiative has leveraged our resources to unite the hotel industry against human trafficking,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation president & CEO. “The NRFT Summit serves as a powerful call-to-action, bringing together the industry and our partners to strengthen our commitment and drive meaningful change.”
The NRFT Survivor Fund supports community-based anti-trafficking organizations and initiatives, the statement said. Since 2023, it has awarded more than $2.35 million to 27 organizations nationwide.
This year’s grantees include two survivor-founded groups and others focused on prevention and survivor support, including:
- 3Strands Global Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
- Empowered Network
- Hoola Na Pua
- New Friends New Life
- Rebecca Bender Initiative
- Restore NYC
- Safety Compass
- Salt & Light Coalition
- UMD Safe Center
- Wellspring Living
"The organizations supported through the No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund are doing essential work to prevent human trafficking and support survivors," said Joan Bottarini, chief financial officer at Hyatt and chair of the NRFT Advisory Council. "Their expertise—especially the voices of those with lived experience—continues to shape how our industry engages as part of the solution to this global issue.”
The NRFT Advisory Council and Survivor Fund supporting companies include Aimbridge, Choice Hotels, Extended Stay America, Hilton Global Foundation, Hyatt Hotels Foundation, IHG Hotels & Resorts, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Marriott International, Real Hospitality Group, Red Roof, Sonesta, Summit Foundation, Vision Hospitality Group and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
The summit included keynotes and panels featuring lived experience experts on survivor employment and sessions with vendors and industry stakeholders on trafficking prevention.
In July 2024, AHLA Foundation granted $1 million to eight community-based organizations through the Survivor Fund at the third annual NRFT Summit.
