Many small raindrops, together, create mighty floods. Many small contributions of $1, together, can create great change.

Because Hotels that Help Members pass along 100 percent of our guests' contributions directly to trusted local charities, we see and feel the difference we make in our communities.

A good neighbor is a priceless treasure

"Many of our rooms overlook the playground on the Raphael House roof," explains Herve Blondel, General Manager of the Hotel Carlton, "and guests would sometimes ask about the children."

Beyond answering questions and suggesting guests browse the Raphael House Thrift Store for second-hand chic, however, the staff and guests at the Hotel Carlton had only infrequent, if friendly, contact with the staff and guests next door.

But when the opportunity arose, these two hospitality providers found a natural affinity that has become a partnership.

Since January 2005, when the Carlton's staff began inviting their guests to "round up" their hotel bills with a donation to Raphael House, more than $20,000 has been raised, along with a matching gift of $2,700 from a long-time Raphael House supporter.

A couple of lucky Carlton guests have benefited as well. Every contributor in 2007 was automatically entered in a drawing to "Win A Week With Us!"--a free week's stay at the Carlton. One hundred percent of the contributions go to Raphael House, which helps homeless families with children make the transition to stable housing, employment, and lives. One hundred percent of the effort that makes the program work comes from the Carlton's staff.

"I loved the idea immediately, and really wanted to help the Raphael House families next door," says Giovanni Valdez. Gio and Emelie de la Cruz have been the top fundraisers at the Carlton. "I definitely want to see this program continue it's a great way for us to support the kids," Emelie adds.

These kinds of hotel guest-giving programs had their genesis in an unlikely location--in the shadow of Hawai'i's most expensive resorts, where Realtor Dave Levenson was volunteering at a homeless shelter.

"I ran into a guy at the shelter who had bought a house from me two years earlier," Dave recalls. "I thought he was volunteering, too. But since I'd last seen him, he'd lost his job, his wife, and his home--and he was in a wheelchair. There but for the grace of God..."

"Just a mile from here, people were paying $400-500 a night," Dave continues. "If only they knew, and had a way to make a difference! I had to find a way to leverage the situation."

Fast forward eight years, and Dave, now living in California, launched the Kohala Foundation to bring "business solutions to social issues." Then he met Chip Conley, Founder of Joie de Vivre, which manages the Carlton and 40 other Bay Area hotels. "Chip was crazy enough to let us try this idea for partnering the hotel industry with homeless solutions," Dave says, smiling and shaking his head, "and he was smart enough to suggest Herve as right person to pilot the program."

Herve seized the idea immediately, insisting that Raphael House be the beneficiary of the program. "I knew their good work," says Herve, "and I knew our staff would appreciate that they could see the results of their efforts right next door."

Like true pioneers, the Hotel Carlton staff stuck with the program through the inevitable hiccups, turning it into a model for building strong bonds with guests while helping their neighbors build healthier lives.

Thanks to the Carlton staff's success, "Win A Week With Us!" will roll out at a dozen Joie de Vivre properties in the next few months, with the goal of being adopted citywide, and eventually nationwide, bringing "net new monies" to groups like Raphael House.

On the Web:
www.hotelcarltonsf.com
www.joiedevivrehospitality.com
www.hotelsthathelp.org