20 May 2017
Tags: The Ritz-Carlton, Smile Asia
The Ritz-Carlton hotels of Asia Pacific are set to hit a new milestone this week for Smile Asia – a global alliance of independent charities, as it launches its fourth regional fundraiser program which will bring total funds raised to US$1.5 million. Smile Asia Week runs from May 8 to 14 and sees specially-crafted cakes sold to raise funds for the international medical charity which provides children with cleft lips or palates a reason to smile again.
All 24 Ritz-Carlton hotels in Asia Pacific are participating with over 10,000 ladies and gentlemen lending their skills and passion to their community and guests. Pastry chefs of The Ritz-Carlton in each country designed their recipes for the cake sale, taking into account local variations in taste and preference. In mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, Valhrona Chocolate and Banana Cake was chosen, reflecting the universal popularity of chocolate to bring a smile to everyone's face and banana being a flavor that appealed to children and adults alike. All cakes are sold exclusively through the website www.smileasia.org. The celebration cakes can be used to celebrate special occasions amongst family and friends from Mother's Day to anniversaries and birthdays. The website also allows friends and family from across the world to send the cake to their loved ones and friends in Asia and have it delivered.
All proceeds go directly to the charity and will be used to send medical volunteers on surgical missions across Asia. A portion of the proceeds from Smile Asia Week in 2016 will be used to provide Plastic Surgery Fellowships to two deserving doctors from the Kingdom of Bhutan in 2017. This would be the first such initiative supported by Smile Asia, which is aimed at long-term self-sufficiency of countries where there is a lack of qualified professionals.
Ladies and gentlemen from The Ritz-Carlton hotels of Asia are also continuously participating in medical mission trips to remote locations across countries in Asia as nonmedical volunteers this year. They are lending their hands in numerous tasks, including setting up of surgery stations, patient registrations, patient management, etc. to aid the success of each Smile Asia mission.
“The Ritz-Carlton has always had a cornerstone guiding principle of striving to make a difference in the communities where we operate. Smile Asia Week is an annual signature event and just one way our ladies and gentlemen proudly share their skills and knowledge to lift up communities in Asia and inspire our guests to join us in this sustainable effort,” said Victor Clavell, Area Vice President, Luxury, Asia Pacific Excluding China, Marriott International . “I am delighted that Smile Asia is able to change so many lives with our contribution.”
To date, the funds raised in three years totaled $ 1,250,154 to support almost 1,515 operations and the contribution in 2017 is expected to be even higher, to help bring a total fund raised in four years to achieveUS$1.5 million.
About Smile Asia
Smile Asia® is global alliance of independent charities that offer free surgeries to children with facial deformities, including cleft lip and palate. It has activities in 20 countries and program delivery in 13 Asian countries. Till date, the charities under Smile Asia have delivered over 60,000 surgeries combined. Smile Asia® is represented by The Smile Mission as its International Secretariat. It is a Singapore-registered charity and adheres to local regulatory requirements. For more information, visit www.smileasia.org.
About Community Footprints
With a commitment to “Expand Global Citizenship,” The Ritz-Carlton social and environmental responsibility program, Community Footprints, is embedded into the company's service values, long-range plan and business operations. This commitment is focused on children's well-being, environmental responsibility and hunger and poverty relief. For more information, visit www.communityfootprints.com, or follow The Ritz-Carlton Community Footprints on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RitzCarltonCSR.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, MD., part of Marriott International, Inc., currently operates more than 90 hotels and 40 residential properties in more than 30 countries and territories. The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.ritzcarlton.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR).
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Media Contacts
Michele Lv
Senior Manager, Brand PR, Luxury Brands, APAC
Tel: (852) 2192 6202
Jane Cai
Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, APAC
Alethea Lam
Vice President, Communications APAC
Suite 1108, 11/F Cityplaza One, 1111 King's Road
Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong
(852) 2192 6000
