Representatives from HMSHost Foundation, HMSHost Corporation, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and Grace-Mar Services Inc. surrounded by HMSHost associates.

HMSHost Foundation, in its continued efforts to fight poverty, presented a $20,000 grant today to Grace-Mar Services Inc., building on a relationship that HMSHost Corporation established with the organization to provide those in need with employment opportunities at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. An official check presentation with HMSHost Foundation, airport, and Grace-Mar Services representatives took place at1897 Market in the airport.

The mission of HMSHost Foundation is to fight poverty in local communities across the United States with food, shelter, education, and workforce development. Grace-Mar Servicesis a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit with a missionto provide education, counseling, and professional networks to displaced workers, minorities and low to moderate income families. This grant supports both organizations’ missions, and their future of working together to make a difference in the lives of many in the Charlotte areacommunities.

“We are committed to the city of Charlotte, where HMSHost has1,215 associates who call this community home,” said HMSHost Foundation President Paul Mamalian. “Working with Grace-Mar we hope to change the lives of our neighbors in this community while building upon the great activity the HMSHost team has already done at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.”

HMSHost Corporation’s operations team at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is an active supporterof Grace-Mar Services’ Upward Mobility programs and services, which has created multiple employment opportunities for associates at HMSHost-operated dining venues at the airport.Together, Grace-Mar Services and HMSHost are giving these individuals an opportunity to achieve financial literacy, job readiness, placement opportunities, and self-empowerment.

“Our relationship with HMSHost Foundation and HMSHost Corporation has allowed us to have a tremendous impact on the community and with those individuals that we serve,” said Grace-Mar CEO Kenneth Smith. “I truly believe that our success comes from the fact that our organizations share the same core value, in making the world a better place, by empowering the individuals we serve, one community at a time.”

Recently marking its first year of operations, HMSHost Foundation has quickly grown, and through activities such as strengthening its involvement with organizations like Grace-Mar Services, is actively pursuing its mission to fight poverty and expanding the positive impact it is making in communities across the country.Since its establishment, the foundation has made nearly $300,000 in grants to poverty-fighting organizations.

About HMSHost Foundation

HMSHost Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to fight poverty in the local community with food, shelter, education, and workforce development. HMSHost Foundation is uniquely positioned to give back to the communities in which it operates by combating the cycle of poverty at the local level. Charitable work carried out by HMSHost Foundation is done based on pillars of giving:

• Combat hunger and promote nutritional wellness;
• Provide opportunity for financial stability through job training and placement;
• Encourage the next generation through access to education and training;
• Honor our veterans and their families.

Visit HMSHostFoundation.com for more information. We can also be found on Facebook.

About Grace-Mar Services Inc.

Grace-Mar Services Inc. is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization that was founded in February 2009 by Kenneth Smith.

The name Grace-Mar comes from his wife "Grace" and his mother "Margaret". His goal was to create an organization that displayed the spiritual, unselfish, loving and caring qualities of his wife and mother to combine with the rigor, discipline and results driven characteristics he learned as a top sales professional working for organizations such as GE Capital, American Express and Wells Fargo.

To date Grace-Mar has served more than 1500 families and has reached thousands more with their monthly TV show on Access 21 television.