Tourism Update, June 16, 2016 – CFHLA

Last year, the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness reported that more than 25,000 Central Florida children, or one in every 17, are homeless at some point during the year. While there is no short-term fix to the homelessness issue, many of the youngest still attend school and need basic, daily resources that many take for granted.

For the past eight years, members of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association have conducted CFHLA Cares Collection Drives, gathering more than 1 million items such as toiletries, single-serving food items, and shoes for homeless students in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. In 2015, nearly 200,000 items were donated at four collection drives conducted during various CFHLA events.

At this year’s CFHLA Community Partnerships Luncheon, held at the Hilton Orlando, CFHLA partnered with  Massey PrevenTech Commercial Services and Dollar Tree stores to collect more than 94,000 items. The donations have since been distributed to the area’s homeless students. 💓

Tourism Update 1Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association members volunteer at a CFHLA Cares Collection Drive outside of the Amway Center.

061616tourism02Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association Immediate Past President Gerald Urquiloa (center) and his team from the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel & Convention Center drop off items for homeless students.