Westgate Resorts Donates $1 Million to Benefit Communities Nationwide

ORLANDO, Fla. – March 6, 2024 – The Westgate Foundation, a charitable arm of one of the largest resort developers in the United States, Westgate Resorts, announces a monetary donation of $1 million to benefit 58 community-focused organizations across the country.

This considerable contribution’s impact spans nine states where Westgate Resorts has a presence. Organizations were selected based on those that align with the Foundation’s focus pillars of opioid crisis, family stability, military and veteran services and workforce readiness, including:

Opioid Crisis

• AdventHealth – Central Florida

• Aspire Health Partners – Central Florida

• Impower – Central Florida

• Mental Health Association – Central Florida

• New Directions – Myrtle Beach, SC

• Recovery Connections – Central Florida

Family Stability

• A New Leaf – Mesa, AZ

• Casa De Luz – Las Vegas, NV

• Children’s Hunger Project – Cocoa, FL

• Christian Action Ministries – Branson, MO

• Christian Center of Park City – Park City, UT

• Christian Service Center – Central Florida

• City Harvest – New York, NY

• Elevate Branson – Branson, MO

• Find, Feed & Restore – Central Florida

• Grove Christian Outreach – Williamsburg, VA

• Habitat for Humanity Horry County – Myrtle Beach, SC

• Harbor House – Central Florida

• Help of Southern Nevada – Las Vegas, NV

• Help4Kids – Myrtle Beach, SC

• Helping Hands, Inc. – Central Florida

• HelpNow – Kissimmee, FL

• Hope Partnership – Kissimmee, FL

• Howard Phillips Center – Orlando, FL

• Lake Wales Care Center – Lake Wales, FL

• Lakeway CASA – Morristown, TN

• Las Vegas Rescue Mission – Las Vegas, NV

• Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic – Sevierville, TN

• Osceola Council on Aging – Central Florida

• RISE Community Solutions – Central Florida

• SafeSpace of East Tennessee – Sevierville, TN

• Second Harvest Food Bank – Central Florida

• Seniors First – Central Florida

• Sevier County Food Ministries – Sevierville, TN

• SMARM – Sevierville, TN

• South Brevard Women's Center – Central Florida

• The Neighborhood Center – Central Florida

• The Road Home – Park City, UT

• The Russell Home – Central Florida

• The Shade Tree – Las Vegas, NV

• Three Square – Las Vegas, NV

• Wesley House Community Center – Sevierville, TN

• Williamsburg House of Mercy – Williamsburg, VA

Military & Veteran Support

• 22Zero – National

• American Gold Star Mothers – National

• Brian Bill Foundation – Central Florida

• Team Rubicon – National

• University of Central Florida – Central Florida

In addition to monetary support, each year, Westgate Resorts celebrates service members, veterans and Gold Star families through the annual Westgate Resorts Military Appreciation Weekend. The event unites communities to honor and express gratitude to our courageous servicemen and women with an action-packed schedule, featuring a lineup of thrilling events, heartfelt ceremonies and special surprises.

Workforce Readiness

• Adult Literacy League – Central Florida

• IDignity – Central Florida

• Lake-Sumter State College – Central Florida

• LifeWorks – Central Florida – Jobs Partnership

• Foundation for Orange County Public Schools – Central Florida

• Osceola Education Foundation – Central Florida

• Park City Education Foundation – Park City, UT

• Seminole State College Foundation – Central Florida

• United Against Poverty – Central Florida

• Women's Crisis Center – Branson, MO

“Through the Westgate Foundation, we aim to be a catalyst for positive change in our local communities by partnering with organizations that seek to create stability and provide critical resources to those in need,” said Mark Waltrip, chief operating officer of Westgate Resorts. “Through grant-making efforts such as this $1 million donation, our Foundation focuses on the root issues and needs of the communities we call home. I’m continuously humbled by our company’s consciousness of the wellbeing of others, and I’m excited to watch the year unfold and how our grantee partners will leverage these resources to enact constructive change for families, military personnel, veterans, those entering or reentering the workforce and much more.”

Through partnerships with organizations that aim to end the nation's drug epidemic, create stability for families in need, provide critical resources to military and veteran populations, provide assistance during a crisis and develop workforce readiness programs, the Westgate Foundation seeks to become a catalyst for positive change in local communities. Over the last five years, a total of more than $5 million was invested by the Foundation to support Westgate Resorts team members and communities.

For more information on the Westgate Foundation and its impact, please visit www.westgatefoundation.org.

ABOUT WESTGATE RESORTS

Westgate Resorts is the largest privately held timeshare company in the world and one of the largest resort developers in the United States. Founded in 1982 by David Siegel, the company is headquartered in Orlando, Florida with seven Orlando hotel resorts, and 22 themed destination resorts nationwide.

Westgate Resorts locations feature more than 14,000 luxury villas and hotel rooms in popular vacation destinations throughout the United States such as Orlando and Cocoa Beach, Florida; New York City, New York; Park City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada; Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Williamsburg, Virginia; Branson, Missouri; and Mesa, Arizona.

In 2022, the company launched the cutting-edge World of Westgate (WOW) Loyalty Program, an exclusive program that rewards Westgate Owners and hotel guests with prestigious perks and privileges at no added cost.

The company has garnered many distinct accolades, including earning the title of ‘No. 1 Glamping Destination’ in the USA Today 10Best 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards as well as the ‘2022 ACE Project of Excellence Award’ from the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) for Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo, recognition from Forbes Travel Advisor ranking Westgate Park City Resort & Spa as a ‘Recommended Resort’ in its 2022 Star Awards, and garnering 73 ‘Best of State Awards’ for Westgate Park City Resort & Spa after consecutively winning 10 years in a row.

Westgate Resorts locations are known to feature a variety of unique restaurant, retail, and spa concepts, including Los Amigos Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar, Villa Italiano Chophouse, Drafts Burger Bar, Edge Steakhouse, Westgate Marketplace & Deli, and Serenity Spa by Westgate.

For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit WestgateResorts.com. Find Westgate Resorts on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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Media Contact:

Jessica Vaughn

The Zimmerman Agency

850-668-2222

jvaughn@zimmerman.com