NEW YORK— A number of local hotels are working through Innovative Travel Marketing and its ITM Hospitality Fund to provide complimentary rooms for hospital patients and/or their families in times of need. Under the direction of ITM President Jody Merl and Princeton Commercial Corp. President Michael Stoler, 18 Big Apple lodging properties are making accommodations available to those in need— in most cases, the only expense incurred by the recipient being that of applicable taxes…though some hotels have even committed to picking up that cost as well. As explained, this contribution of hotel room-nights is designed to lessen the emotional and financial burdens of being away from home while receiving treatment for cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, organ transplantation, and other life-threatening conditions involving extensive hospital stays, doctors visits or ambulatory therapies. This philanthropic undertaking is mounted in partnership with various medical centers in the metropolitan New York area as a means of donating lodging to needy patients— and families of those patients— undergoing treatment at one of the participating medical facilities. So far, local hotels involved in this program include: Hotel Bedford; The Benjamin; Beekman Tower; Hotel Delmonico; Dumont Plaza; Eastgate Tower; Empire; Flatotel; Habitat; Lyden Gardens; New York Hilton; Omni Berkshire Place; On The Avenue; Park Central; Plaza Fifty; Soho Grand; Surrey Hotel; and Tribeca Grand. Ultimately, this program is expected to be expanded to include other major urban centers with similar medical facilities.—Michael Billig
