Todd Parr Creates One-of-a-Kind Book for Hilton
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, November 13, 2006. Living in a world where common courtesy is a bit less common than it once was, the Hilton Family of Hotels is hoping to inspire young readers to be courteous and thoughtful with its first-ever children's book by acclaimed author/illustrator Todd Parr, called "be hospitable." The Hilton Family will also make a hospitable donation of more than 10,000 be hospitable books to the non-profit organizations Books for Kids Foundation and Reach Out and Read, whose missions are to promote literacy among disadvantaged children.
To further enable others to participate in spreading the light and warmth of hospitality, the unique and limited edition book will be available for a nominal donation online at www.behospitable.com/givingback. For every $5 donation, the Hilton Family of Hotels will donate an additional book to Reach Out and Read as well as provide a copy of the book to the purchaser."Conrad Hilton's philosophy is the inspiration for the company's overarching message of kindness and generosity," said Mary Beth Parks, vice president of marketing. "With Parr's wonderfully whimsical illustrations, we are able to communicate our values to kids with the hope that they will be inspired to be as hospitable at home, in school and with their family and friends as they are when reading this book."
To kick off the release of the book, Hilton Family has teamed-up with the Books for Kids Foundation to host a book reading by Parr on Friday, November 10 in New York City. The event will be held at the Books for Kids and Credit Suisse Financial Institutions Group Library at Bank Street Head Start. The kids who attend the Head Start program will each receive a free be hospitable book which Parr will sign. The Library, which opened its doors in July 2006, was made possible by generous donations from employees of Credit Suisse's Financial Institutions Group, who wanted to make a contribution to the local community.
Parr is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books have sold more than two million copies worldwide. In be hospitable, Parr provides audiences with a simple example of what being hospitable is... holding the door open, saying thank you, wishing someone good luck, serving breakfast in bed, and more. The book has a universal theme of graciousness and multiculturalism that are vital to today's youth.
be hospitableAE is the philosophy shared by all 10 hotel brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels. The message was introduced in newly designed internal communications and training materials and external marketing efforts in February 2006. About Hilton Hotels Corporation Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 2,800 hotels and 490,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, including 150,000 team members worldwide.
The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including HiltonAE, ConradAE, Coral by HiltonAE, DoubletreeAE, Embassy Suites HotelsAE, Hampton InnAE, Hampton Inn & SuitesAE, Hilton Garden InnAE, Hilton Grand VacationsTM, Homewood Suites by HiltonAE, Scandic and The Waldorf=Astoria CollectionTM.
The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton's philosophy that, "It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality." The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitableAE. The philosophy is shared by all 10 brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.
Hilton Hotels Corporation's sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Team will extend through the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, and includes the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team(s) and the 2007 U.S. Pan-Am Team.
For more information about our company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com, and to learn more about our be hospitable philosophy, please visit www.behospitable.com.
About Books for Kids
The Books for Kids Foundation is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote literacy among all children with special emphasis on children in low income areas. Books for Kids raises money so that it can donate books, create children's libraries in underserved locations, and participate in reading initiatives with community based organizations. In it's 20 years of operation, the Books for Kids Foundation has provided children with more than 5 million books with an estimated retail value of $45 million, built 53 libraries and distributed reading materials through approximately 280 agencies in the New York metro area and other communities served by Books for Kids chapters.
In addition to assisting recognized learning programs, such as Head Start, the Books for Kids Foundation seeks to create opportunities for children and families in underserved or overlooked locations. Books for Kids libraries are being established in daycare, after-school and teen parenting programs, detention and correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and children's healthcare centers. For more information about Books for Kids, please visit www.booksforkidsfoundation.org or call 212-252-9168.About Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read is a national, non-profit program that is working to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care. Reach Out and Read trains medical providers to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at check-ups from 6 months to 5 years, with a special emphasis on children growing up in poverty. Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read has one of the strongest records of research support of any primary care intervention. Peer-reviewed studies indicate that parents who get books and literacy counseling from their doctors and nurses are more likely to read to their young children, read to them more often, and provide more books in the home. Low-income children exposed to the program have shown improvements in language development, a critical component of school readiness. Since l989, Reach Out and Read has trained more than 44,100 doctors and nurses who have given advice and a new book at more than 16 million well-child visits. This year Reach Out and Read will provide 4.1 million books to more than 2.5 million children, at 2,948 hospitals and health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. For further information, please visit Reach Out and Read's website at www.reachoutandread.org.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
