Attendees at the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) conference donated more than 400 teddy bears to the Minneapolis Fire Department Firehouses #4 and #7. The presentation was made today outside The Depot Minneapolis, where 165 hospitality training professionals gathered for CHART’s 75th Semi-annual Hospitality Training Conference. Firefighters often give teddy bears to children who need comfort during a difficult time.

Attendees were asked to bring donations of teddy bears and restaurant gift cards to the conference. More than $1,000 in restaurant gift cards were donated to the Minneapolis Ronald McDonald House. The cards will treat families who are staying at the house to dine off site.

Thirty-five attendees also volunteered at Hope for the City, where they boxed, sorted and organized corporate surplus products to fight poverty, hunger and disease.

“CHART comes to its host cities with an attitude of service, rather than entitlement,” says Curt Archambault, FMP, regional training and development manager for Jack In The Box and CHART president. “It is our way of giving back to the host community, while creating bonds among members and giving trainers an example of how they can take this type of effort back to their restaurants and hotels.”

CHART has been incorporating community service projects into its semi-annual conference for more than five years.