ORLANDO, FL—Everyone deserves to have a good meal—certainly, that’s what Loews Hotels thinks. And the company has put that thought into action, partnering with Florida-based charity, Feeding Children Everywhere (FCE), to help the hungry.
What first began in 2013—when Loews workers packed FCE’s famous Red Lentil Jambalaya meals at a Loews hotel—has grown, with the company recently packing its millionth meal at a national sales meeting at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando. At this particular event, 34,272 meals were packed, exceeding the 32,500 goal for a total of 1,023,668 meals. Loews Foundation also presented FCE with a $10,000 grant for its efforts in feeding children and adults around the globe.
“The partnership with them has really grown over the years,” said Jennifer Hodges, area director of public relations for Loews Hotels at Universal Studios. “We took the program to all of our on-site hotels and it has grown ever since.”
The Loews Orlando properties at Universal Studios consist of Loews Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel—opening in 2018.
The properties host different events for Feeding Children Everywhere throughout the year, but the largest always falls on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in the lobby of one of the hotels. Loews team members, hotel guests, friends, family and community members all mobilize and come together to pack the meals.
The Red Lentil Jambalaya was developed by a nutritionist and is a very healthy meal for children and adults. Also, a full serving costs only 25 cents. “It is nutritionally sound and different cultures who receive this can customize to their taste and preferences,” added Hodges. The meal has four ingredients—lentils, which provide a great source of fiber; white rice, which is rich in carbohydrates and fuels the body and mind, dehydrated vegetables; and pink Himalayan salt with 84 trace minerals.
FCE’s Robert Andrescik concluded, “If you’ve ever stayed at a Loews property, you know that the experience is second-to-none. Similarly, the company’s commitment to the community is second-to-none. Loews volunteers are creating hope and a brighter future for children and families.”
To date, FCE has had 475,953 volunteers package 71,806,329 meals for hungry citizens around the globe.