Company Press Release: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
May 11, 2000
WHITE PLAINS, NY -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is pleased to announce the establishment
of its new community service program, StarCare for the Community.
StarCare for the Community encourages Starwood employees to donate eight hours per year to volunteer activities
within their communities. To assist this goal, Starwood has partnered with America's Promise -- The Alliance for
Youth, and with City Cares, two well-known national organizations with the capability of matching Starwood volunteers
with non-profit organizations and community service events in cities across the U.S.
``Our hotels have been participating in fundraising and community service activities for some time,'' said Barry
Sternlicht, chairman and chief executive officer for Starwood. ``We developed the StarCare program to help centralize
and unite these efforts. Since the ITT Sheraton/Westin merger, one of our key corporate initiatives has been our
commitment to improving the communities we serve around the world. This is a critical component of our recently
adopted set of corporate values.''
Starwood owns, operates or franchises hotels in the U.S. under the Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Luxury
Collection and W brands.
According to Sternlicht, Starwood has signed a commitment with America's Promise pledging that at least 5,000 employees
per year will donate eight hours of their time to activities that build and strengthen the competence and character
of our youth. Later this year, Sheraton key packets will be embellished with the America's Promise red wagon, website
address and telephone number, to raise awareness of the organization among guests and encourage their participation.
Starwood has also agreed to serve as a Signature National Serve-A-Thon Sponsor for City Cares. In this capacity,
Starwood will provide financial support and volunteer manpower at City Cares' Serve-A-Thon events in Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Washington, DC and New York during 2000. Serve-A-Thons are day-long events where individuals, corporations
and other volunteers gather to complete hundreds of community service projects such as painting murals in elementary
schools, cleaning up playgrounds and public parks, visiting senior citizens and providing food to the homeless.
In addition to the sponsorship cities, individual Starwood hotels will participate in 19 additional cities where
City Cares affiliate groups organize Serve-A-Thons.
``We are pleased to be working with America's Promise and City Cares on both a national and local level. StarCare
for the Community has the potential to positively impact thousands of our employees and the communities in which
they work,'' Sternlicht concluded. ``Our 52,000 U.S. associates represent a huge volunteer population and our intention
with this program is to provide the resources and guidelines that will make it easy for our employees to get involved.''
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., through its Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, Luxury Collection
and W subsidiaries, is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 700 hotels in
80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
America's Promise is an Alliance of 500 organizations -- corporations, faith and educational groups, associations
and government agencies -- and nearly 500 communities across America that have made specific commitments to help
children and young people develop the character and competence needed to be successful adults. It is a catalyst,
mobilizing individuals and groups from every sector of society to fulfill Five Promises all young people deserve:
1) ongoing relationships with caring adults;
2) safe places with structured activities during non-school hours;
3) healthy start and future;
4) marketable skills through an effective education; and
5) opportunities to give back through community service
City Cares was founded in 1992 to encourage and channel the volunteer impulse. Having established an effective
model for citizen service and civic engagement, City Cares works to promote and guide grassroots groups who engage
individuals in addressing local needs. With 27 national and nine international affiliates, the City Cares network
engages over 100,000 volunteers in meeting the critical needs of our communities.
SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.