Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Kicks off Giving Season and Joins the Global #GivingTuesday Movement

BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Reinforcing its commitment to being a brand where actions speak louder, Sheraton is assembling 10,000 First Aid Kits and donating them to the American Red Cross to be used for disaster preparedness. #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.), and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to help kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.  

This year, Sheraton is proud to participate in #GivingTuesday's global platform. On November 29, 2016, both corporate and hotel associates across the brand's North America locations will gather to create First Aid Kits, complete with burn cream, emergency blankets, trauma pads and more. The first aid kits will be used by Red Cross to help families better prepare for emergencies, and will also be distributed to local schools and homeless shelters.

"At Sheraton, we believe that actions speak louder, and #GivingTuesday reminds us that the holiday season is a special time of year to give back," said Brian McGuiness, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. "We are honored to support #GivingTuesday and the Red Cross with these valuable contributions, while recognizing our hotel associates' spirit of volunteerism and making a difference at the local and global level."

92Y −  a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around its core values of community service and giving back − conceptualized #GivingTuesday as a new way of linking individuals and causes to strengthen communities and encourage giving. In 2015, the fourth year of the movement, #GivingTuesday brought together over 45,000 partners in 71 countries and helped raise nearly $117 million online in the U.S. alone.

"We have been incredibly inspired by the generosity in time, efforts and ideas that have brought our concept for a worldwide movement into reality," said Henry Timms, founder of #GivingTuesday and executive director of 92Y. "As we embark on our fifth year of #GivingTuesday, we are encouraged by the early response from partners eager to continue making an impact in this global conversation."  

For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media.

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., makes it easy for guests to explore, relax and enjoy the possibilities of travel at more than 440 hotels in over 70 countries around the world. Sheraton continues to enhance the brand through innovative guest experience, differentiating design, multi-channel marketing and a sharp focus on service. Sheraton is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®, in which members can link accounts with Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. To learn more, visit www.sheraton.com. Stay connected to Sheraton: @sheratonhotels on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/Sheraton

About Marriott International, Inc. 
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is the world's largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 5,700 properties in over 110 countries. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts. The company's 30 leading brands include: Bulgari Hotels and Resorts®, The Ritz-Carlton® and The Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, St. Regis®, W®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, The Luxury Collection®, Marriott Hotels®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Renaissance® Hotels, Sheraton®, Delta Hotels by Marriott^SM, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Tribute Portfolio™, Design Hotels™, Gaylord Hotels®, Courtyard®, Four Points® by Sheraton, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, Residence Inn®, TownePlace Suites®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Aloft®, Element®, Moxy Hotels®, and Protea Hotels by Marriott®. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com and @MarriottIntl.

About #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give—the 2016 iteration will be held on November 29, 2016. This effort harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners—nonprofits, businesses and corporations as well as families and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. #GivingTuesday inspires people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they celebrate and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday harnesses the power of social media to create a global moment dedicated to giving around the world.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday participants and activities or to join the celebration of giving, please visit:

Website: www.givingtuesday.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday
Twitter: twitter.com/GivingTues

SOURCE Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

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