Starwood & Enterprise pitch in to help victims of For McMurray wildfires

Starwood & Enterprise pitch in to help victims of Fort McMurray wildfires

TORONTO – Travel companies are pitching in to help the thousands of people who’ve been displaced following the devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts have announced that guests staying at its nine owned and managed hotels across Canada can make a $5 donation to the Canadian Red Cross for every night during a stay through June 30, 2016. The funds will be collected and donated to assist the more than 80,000 people who have been forced to flee their homes due to evacuation orders in more than 12 northern communities.

As an added selection of the Make a Green Choice Program (MAGC), at check-in guests have the opportunity to choose to forego full housekeeping for up to three days in a row (excluding their checkout day) and have a $5 donation per day made to the Canadian Red Cross on their behalf. This option will be available to all guests checking in with a confirmed reservation through June 30.

Hotels participating across Canada include: The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver; The Westin Edmonton; The Westin Calgary; Sheraton Centre Toronto, The Westin Harbour Castle, Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Toronto International Airport, The Westin Ottawa, W Montréal and Le Centre Sheraton Montreal.

In addition, a number of Starwood properties throughout Alberta are offering compassionate rates for those who’ve been displaced.

Also pitching in to relief efforts is Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which is pledging $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross. Enterprise has worked with the organization for more than 30 years, including an annual multi-million-dollar commitment by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation (the philanthropic arm of the Enterprise brand) to the Red Cross’s Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). This is the second straight year the Foundation is giving $1 million to the ADGP, which helps provide a reliable funding base for disaster relief services.

“We are thankful that our employees and their families have been accounted for and are safe. But we know the job is far from done and on behalf of everyone at Enterprise, we want to commend the brave firefighters, emergency services personnel and aid workers whose efforts have saved lives and are protecting the community from further devastation,” said Jim Thompson, vice president and general manager for Enterprise in Alberta.

Donations to the Red Cross will help to provide relief for those affected in the form of emergency food, clothing, shelter, personal services and other necessities. All donations that are made to the Canadian Red Cross for the Alberta Fires will be matched by the Canadian government.

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