Arlington Industry Conference Donates 150 Pounds of Food
Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA) Turns Storm-Related Surplus Food into Community Donation for 400+
ARLINGTON, Texas — More than 150 pounds of prepared food from the Event Service Professionals Association’s (ESPA) annual conference were donated to local nonprofit organizations following the conclusion of the event, an estimated amount sufficient to benefit about 400 people.
The donation resulted from reduced in-person attendance caused by a record winter storm that hit the Dallas–Arlington area and later disrupted travel nationwide. With advance notice, Loews Arlington Hotel adjusted food preparation to limit waste. However, because conference meals had been guaranteed and food already purchased, some surplus remained.
Rather than discard the unused food, ESPA partnered with Loews Arlington Hotel to ensure the food was safely prepared and recovered through the hotel’s established partnership with Goodr, a food waste management and hunger relief company that connects surplus food with nonprofit organizations. The food has been redistributed to community partners. Hotel officials said the amount of recovered food was significant, as typical post-event food overage is far less.
“This effort reflects ESPA’s commitment to being thoughtful, responsible hosts and to giving back to the communities that support our events,” said Carol Gagnon, ESPA president. “While the storm created challenges, we were grateful for the opportunity to turn unused resources into meaningful support for others. We sincerely appreciate the support of ESPA members and the partnership of Loews Arlington Hotel in hosting the event and helping make this donation possible.”
The ESPA Annual Conference brings together event service professionals from convention and visitor Bureaus (CVBs), hotels and convention centers and event venues and planners from across the meetings and events industry for education, networking and professional development. Officials say the donation underscores ESPA’s commitment to responsible event practices, sustainability and positive community impact.
About ESPA
With more than 500 members across North America, the Event Service Professionals Association (ESPA) is dedicated to advancing the event and convention services profession through education, certification, and networking. For more information, visit www.espaonline.org.