For immediate release:

Recycled Hygiene Products Will Save Lives Around the World

ORLANDO, Fla. — (March 22, 2018) – Discarded soap and bottled amenities left behind by guests at the Witness Group properties now have a second life thanks to a recycling program from Clean the World, a leader in Global Health, that helps fight the spread of preventable diseases. The Witness Group (TWG), recently launched the recycling program at its 28 properties, including 2,581 rooms.

Used soap and plastic amenity bottles from all TWG properties are shipped to a Clean the World Recycling Operations Center, where they are sanitized and repurposed. Clean the World’s simple mission is to recycle hotel soap and save lives. The organization has partnered with more than 5,000 hotels and resorts to put life-saving hygiene products in the hands of those who need them most.

Vijay Phatak, SVP of Operations at TWG says “The foundation of our hospitality industry depends on teamwork and helping each other to achieve common goal for the hotel. When we realized that we could take that teamwork to help a far greater goal to improve global health, it was an easy decision to partner with Clean the World who is known for recycling discarded soap and bottled amenities to convert in life-saving hygiene products for those in need. Every Witness Group associate does their part of the process with extreme pride and enthusiasm knowing that their simple action could help save lives around the world.”

About 2 million children under the age of 5 die every year due to hygiene-related illnesses. Hand washing with soap is a low-cost intervention that can reduce those deaths by almost 50 percent. Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed more than 44 million bars of soap in 127 countries.

“Sustainability is a major focus for hotels,” said Shawn Seipler, CEO and co-founder of Clean the World. “We estimate the North American lodging industry throws away more than a million bars of soap each day. By recycling soap and bottled amenities, TWG will divert an estimated 8,876 pounds from landfills. This equates to roughly 50,000 life-saving hygiene products each year that will go directly into the hands of children and their families in need.”

For more information about the Clean the World Hotel Recycling program, please visit: https://cleantheworld.org/get-involved/hotel-recycling-program/

About Clean the World

Clean the World is a social enterprise dedicated to the mission of saving millions of lives around the world while simultaneously diverting hotel waste from landfills. Clean the World operates soap recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and Punta Cana and leads a “Global Hygiene Revolution” to distribute recycled soap and hygiene products from more than 5,000 hotel and resort partners. The organization benefits children and families in countries with a high pre-adolescent death rate due to acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera) – which are two of the top killers of children under the age of five. Since 2009, more than 44 million bars of Clean the World soap have been distributed in over 127 countries. Clean the World has served over 10 million individuals through its soap distribution and hygiene education programs. In addition, Clean the World provides hygiene kits to relief organizations throughout North America. More information: CleantheWorld.org.

FOR CLEAN THE WORLD:
Sandie Beauchamp
sbeauchamp@cleantheworld.org
(407) 574-8353

About The Witness Group
The Witness Group is a best-in-class hospitality and mixed-use real estate company with three unique, integrated solutions for Investment, Management, and Construction. TWG currently operates 28 hotels, with an additional 10+ various stages of planning or construction. It is the organization’s belief that success begins with a commitment to performing at our B.E.S.T. – Balance, Empowerment, Service, and Transparency. The Witness Group strives to be a community partner, both locally and globally.

To learn more about The Witness Group, please visit:
www.thewitnessgroup.com

Clean the World is excited to announce that we’ve moved locations!

Clean the World has relocated to:

2544 E. Landstreet Rd, Suite 600, Orlando, FL 32824

This is our new global headquarters, recycling operational center (ROC) and volunteer center. All soap and bottled amenity shipments, product donations, company correspondence, mail, payments, and volunteers should come to our new global headquarters and new shipping/receiving location at 2544 E. Landstreet Rd, Suite 600, Orlando, FL 32824.

VOLUNTEERS: Please make sure to call (407) 574-8353 and make a volunteer appointment with us. We’re looking forward to the new opportunities and memories that will be made in our new-and-improved location. We can’t wait to have our soap heroes join us!

Map:

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Clean the World founder and CEO Shawn Seipler received a huge honor on Saturday, Dec. 12, when he accepted the Excellence Award at the 18th Annual Don Quijote Awards in Orlando.

The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida, Inc. (HBIF) and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) host the awards. They recognize and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals who have shown the character of great strength, courage, conviction, and determination, just as the beloved character of Spanish literature.

The Don Quijote Awards go to business and professional men and women whose efforts have translated into success, at a ceremony that has become the premier event in Central Florida´s Hispanic community.

Saturday’s gala at Epcot’s World Showcase Pavilion was especially meaningful because it recognized visionaries, dreamers, and business men and women who were willing to take risks to achieve those dreams. As Shawn said before the event, “This nomination honors my Puerto Rican heritage, and I share it with my family members who helped me start Clean the World in a tiny Orlando garage. We had a vision to save lives globally, but no more than potato peelers, grinders, and a few countertop cookers to get going. From that humble start, we created a global hygiene revolution.”

If the nomination was humbling for Shawn – then hearing his name announced as the winner of the Excellence Award was surreal. There to cheer him on were family members, friends, and colleagues who have been part of Clean the World from the beginning.

It was a fantastic night of recognition, and a celebration of manufacturing 30 million bars of recycled soap and providing hygiene education to at-risk people around the world – all in just six years. We want to thank the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida, Inc. and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando for everything they do to serve the community, and for this meaningful award.

(below: Shawn with his wife and parents, and with longtime Clean the World supporter and board member Dr. Paul Skomsky.)

At a press conference in Orlando this morning, the Hispanic Initiative Fund of Florida, Inc. (HBIF) and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando announced the 12 finalists for the 18th Annual Don Quijote Awards.

Clean the World founder and CEO Shawn Seipler was among the finalists. He is nominated in the Excellence Award category. The award winners will be announced at the Don Quijote Awards Gala on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Epcot World Showplace Pavilion. Each year, the Don Quijote Awards recognize business excellence, dedication to serve, and outstanding professionalism among Central Florida’s Hispanic community.

Former U.S. Senator from Florida Mel Martinez will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his impact legacy on the Hispanic community in Central Florida and the nation.

At today’s press conference, three finalists were named in each category:

Hispanic Business of the Year, Five Years or Less
Chatter Buzz
E-Vacations, Inc.
Hispanic Family Counseling, Inc.

Hispanic Business of the Year, More Than Five Years
Albu & Associates, Inc.
FLQ Interior Design
ECX Electronics

Professional of the Year
Dr. Cyndia Muniz
Karla Radka
Gloria Puerto

Excellence Award
Shawn Seipler
Janet Perez Eckles
Henry Maldonado

We are excited to announce our newest social media add-on feature: #Donate.

If you’re hip to social media, you know that’s pronounced “Hashtag Donate.”

This amazing technology from GoodWorld allows users to donate money to their favorite cause simply by commenting “#donate” followed by a dollar amount on a charity’s Facebook page or @ them on Twitter.

Making a quick donation online has never been easier. #Donate redirects first-time users to a new browser tab, where they securely enter their credit card information and confirm the donation amount. Returning #donate users are simply requested to confirm their donation amount. Within 12 hours, the payment is processed, and the non-profit receives their donation after a small service fee deduction.

This technology is a huge benefit to Clean the World, as donations of any size help greatly in the global distribution of our recycled soap bars.

Donations help us further our mission of eliminating environmental waste from the hospitality industry and preventing hygiene-related deaths by supplying soap to at-risk people. Clean the World uses donations to recycle and distribute soap and to provide hygiene education that teaches people how, when, and why to wash their hands.

We launched this new feature on Facebook and Twitter just in time for Global Handwashing Day, which is right around the corner, on Thursday, Oct. 15. Clean the World is a huge supporter of Global Handwashing Day and other hygiene initiatives.

Handwashing education is a crucial piece in tackling preventable hygiene-related diseases in developing regions. By implementing proper handwashing techniques in every household, school, and workplace, we could save more than a half-million lives each year. Therefore, we love spreading awareness through Global Handwashing Day and continuously strive to find ways to make soap readily available to all.

Check out our new tool, tell your friends, and let us know what you think! You can prepare for you first donation by visiting GoodWorld right now and authorizing your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

We are proud to announce that CTW Global is now a Certified B Corporation.

Certified B Corporations use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. It’s like fair-trade
certification – but for the whole business.

If you have ever bought a bag of fair-trade coffee, then you know the value of spending your money on something that creates goodness all the way around. Fair-trade means the farmers who work so hard to produce your coveted drink are making a fair living, and you get a great-tasting cup of organic coffee. In a similar fashion, Certified B Corporations meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Our move toward third-party certification from B Lab started more than a year ago.

In July of 2014, Florida joined the growing number of states that permit a special type of business entity known as a “benefit corporation,” which is a hybrid between a non-profit and for-profit company. The benefit corporation is the best possible operating structure for organizations that want to devote a significant portion of their business resources to substantial nonprofit or socially beneficial activities.

CTW Global was the state’s first benefit corporation under the new law last year. But that was only the first step. The next step was to achieve certification by B Lab, a 501(c)3 non-profit that serves a global movement of entrepreneurs and uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab serves these entrepreneurs through initiatives that provide the legal infrastructure and help them attract the customers, talent, and capital to scale.

A company can incorporate as a benefit corporation simply by completing the required forms provided by the secretary of state in any given state. However, the certification process from B Lab is the gold standard when it comes to operating as a B Corp. As a Certified B Corporation, CTW Global is expected and required to meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

At Clean the World, we are inspired by the global movement to redefine success. Certified B Corps distinguish themselves by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business. It is an honor for us to have CTW Global join the nearly 1,400 B Lab-certified B Corporations that are translating ideas into action in 42 countries.

CTW Global is a pioneer and leader in implementing business-centric structures that maximize impact on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profits. It is the social enterprise that provides operational and business services to the four non-profit entities that are a key part of Clean the World’s sustainable ecosystem. The non-profit entities are: Clean the World Foundation, Clean the World Canada, Clean the World Asia, and the Global Soap Project.

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Since 2009, all of us at Clean the World have been working with our heads down and shoulders to the soap grinder. Every now and then we pause for a moment to take stock of what happened over the past six years – and it is humbling. From zero to more than 4,000 hotel partners, more than 29 million bars of soap distributed in 99 countries, and more than 50 team members working across three continents.

We continue to be blessed by attracting top-notch talent. Our ever-growing organization has some of the finest operations, customer service, sales, and marketing people not just in the social enterprise sector, but in business period. Here is a look at some new key members of the team:

Lauren Blasco, Director of International Development: Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Lauren spent the past six years in Hong Kong, where she was involved with a regional soap recycling organization called Soap Cycling. Lauren will work closely with CEO Shawn Seipler in developing global growth strategies for Clean the World.

Pierre Daigneault, Executive Director, Canada and Europe: Pierre has worked as an attorney specializing in real estate transactions, financing and corporate law, He owned and managed several businesses including an investment brokerage firm. Prior to joining Clean the World, Pierre spend seven years in the environmental, sustainability and carbon market business.

Dale Flowers, Chief Financial Officer: In 2008, Dale co-founded a CFO consulting firm that specialized in turnaround management projects, and M&A transaction support. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina and an MBA with a concentration in international business from the Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University.
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Pierre Daigneault
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Dale Flowers
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New facility provides life-saving hygiene supplies to homeless shelters, senior citizens, and struggling families throughout Canada.

Orlando, Florida – July 21, 2015 – The world’s only large-scale recycler of hotel soap recently opened an office and recycling center in Montreal. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Clean the World is a global social enterprise that has contributed to a 30 percent reduction in pre-adolescent deaths from hygiene-related illnesses since 2009. With the new facility coming online, soap and bottled amenities collected from hotels in Canada will benefit Canadians at risk for hygiene-related illnesses.

Each month, close to 850,000 Canadians receive assistance from food banks. About 36 percent of those helped are children and youth. Through a partnership with Moisson Montreal, one of Canada’s major food banks, Canadian families will benefit from the discarded hotel items processed in Clean the World’s Montreal operations center.

“Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed nearly 700,000 hygiene kits in the United States and Canada,” said Clean the World founder and CEO Shawn Seipler. “By any measure, we have made tremendous strides in reducing the incidence of hygiene-related illnesses in developing regions around the world. Our new Montreal facility provides an opportunity to help even more people here in North America.”

Clean the World Canada Managing Director Pierre Daigneault has worked in the environmental sector since 2008 and is a long-time proponent of reducing carbon footprint through regional sustainability efforts.

“Opening an operations center in Montreal is a welcome addition to Clean the World’s global hygiene strategy,” Daigneault said. “This production facility enhances our ability to serve the homeless, our senior citizens, and the growing number of families seeking help from food banks here in Canada. It also provides a jumping-off point for Clean the World’s upcoming European expansion.”

In addition to promoting global hygiene through recycling and distributing hygiene supplies, Clean the World fulfills an environmental mission by collecting hotel waste that would otherwise go into landfills. The organization has diverted more than 3,800 tons of soap, shampoo, and other amenities from traditional disposal methods since 2009.

# # #

About Clean the World 
Clean the World is a social enterprise dedicated to the mission of saving millions of lives around the world while simultaneously diverting hotel waste from landfills. The organization collects discarded soap and other hygiene products from more than 4,000 hotel and resort partners, and operates recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Montreal, and Hong Kong. Clean the World’s Global Soap Project promotes and provides hygiene education and microlending to make hand washing and local soap purchases a lifelong habit. Through its “ONE Project,” Clean the World provides hygiene kits to relief organizations throughout North America. Since 2009, more than 25 million bars of Clean the World soap have been distributed in 99 countries.

NEWS RELEASE:

Clean the World announced this week that its board of directors appointed three new members. Sheryl Bonilla, Rob Candelino, and Ron Reese bring their public affairs and hygiene industry expertise to help guide the Global Hygiene Revolution.

Bonilla is Vice President of Corporate Public Affairs for UPS. She focuses on health care policy and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), representing the Company’s interests before members of Congress and federal agencies.

Candelino is the Vice President of Marketing/General Manager for Unilever’s US Haircare business. In this capacity, he is responsible for some of America’s favorite beauty brands including TRESemme, Suave, Dove, Dove Men+Care and Nexxus.

Reese is the Senior Vice President of Global Communications and Corporate Affairs for Las Vegas Sands Corp. He drives the overall corporate communications platform and directs corporate affairs initiatives that bring awareness to the company’s business and corporate citizenship achievements.

“We feel incredibly fortunate to have Sheryl, Rob and Ron join our board of directors,” said Clean the World founder and executive director Shawn Seipler. “They are highly respected leaders in their industries. Together with our existing board members, they will position us for further growth in 2015 as we continue our impactful mission of preventing millions of deaths caused by hygiene-related illnesses.”

With these additions, Clean the World’s board of directors now includes the following members:

• Shawn Seipler – executive director, Clean the World Foundation
• Nancy Bock –senior vice president, American Cleaning Institute
• Sheryl Bonilla – Vice President of Corporate Public Affairs for UPS
• Robert Candelino – Vice President of Marketing/General Manager for Unilever’s US Haircare business
• Ron Reese – Senior Vice President of Global Communications and Corporate Affairs for Las Vegas Sands Corp.
• Thom Reilly – executive director for the Caesars Foundation
• Mark Rucker – vice president, lodging, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
• Laura Schwartz – principal, White House Strategies

It’s not always easy to part with things that have been part of your life for a long time. A favorite pair of sneakers. Your first car.

Your first website.

We launched the original Clean the World website in 2009, and it served us well for more than five years. Thousands of hotel partners and volunteers learned about our programs on that site.

However, it remained essentially unchanged for more than five years. Sure, we made some cosmetic changes here and there, and added a few pages. But the core site never changed. Website technology has evolved a lot since 2009, and it was time for us to catch up.

So we launched CleanTheWorld.org 2.0 at the end of December. And we couldn’t be more proud.

The new site has sections designed specifically for the different types of supporters who visit us online:

• Hotels
• Corporate sponsors
• Volunteers
• Those interested in hygiene-kit events
• Sponsors
• Soap donors
• People who want to join us on a distribution trip

Please spend a few minutes looking around the site. We hope you learn something new about the many opportunities we have for people to get involved with the global hygiene revolution.

Las Vegas Sands helps Clean the World
Celebrate Launch of New Equipment

Company also announces community effort to build 100,000 hygiene kits
for use in Nevada and across America

LAS VEGAS – June 11, 2014 – Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) and Clean the World, a not-for-profit global hygiene organization, today unveiled new manufacturing equipment at Clean the World’s Las Vegas facility that will help the organization double its production of recycled soap, helping people in need both domestically and around the globe.

At an event launching the new equipment, the two organizations also announced LVS’ underwriting of 100,000 Clean the World hygiene kits for distribution through the American Red Cross to local and national disaster victims and a mass community effort to build the kits at LVS’ Venetian and Palazzo properties in the coming months. The new soap recycling equipment and disaster relief kit build have been made possible as part of a $1 million corporate partnership between LVS and Clean the World in 2014 – the largest corporate donation in Clean the World’s history.

The new machinery unveiled today will sanitize and recycle enough soap gathered from Las Vegas-area hospitality properties to produce nearly 20,000 three-ounce bars of soap a day. With this equipment build-out, Clean the World will increase its soap production and distribution to more than 6.5 million bars of soap a year.

Since its establishment in 2009, Clean the World’s mission is to collect discarded hygiene products from hospitality companies, including Las Vegas Sands, recycle and sanitize them through an automated process and distribute to those in need around the world. Once delivered, the soap helps reduce the risk and spread of hygiene-related diseases, such as pneumonia, cholera and dysentery in more than 95 countries, including the United States.

“Today, we helped usher in an exciting expansion of Clean the World’s Las Vegas facility and it will have tremendous impact on the organization’s ability to give a simple bar of soap to people throughout Nevada who don’t have this basic luxury,” said Michael Leven, LVS president and chief operating officer. “Clean the World has been an innovative leader in helping impoverished people, demonstrating how a smart sustainable idea can impact people’s lives.”

LVS team members also participated in today’s event, by building hygiene kits that will go to help vulnerable people served by the Las Vegas Rescue Mission; Shade Tree, which provides shelter and support for women, children and their pets; and Three Square, which is Southern Nevada’s only food bank that provides food assistance in Lincoln, Nye, Esmeralda and Clark counties. In total, Las Vegas LVS team members will build 8,000 hygiene kits for these three organizations as part of the company’s overall commitment to Clean the World.

“Thanks to the valued commitment and partnership from Las Vegas Sands, this new equipment elevates Clean the World’s mission to a higher level and greatly expands our reach,” said Shawn Seipler, founder and executive director of Clean the World. “The soap that leaves our Las Vegas facility will make its way into shelters and other service organizations to provide support for people in need in Las Vegas and as well as to global communities where simple hygiene can mean the difference between life and death.”

LVS has partnered with Clean the World since 2011, successfully diverting more than 50 tons of waste from LVS properties that resulted in more than 550,000 bars of recycled soap. The Clean the World partnership is part of the company’s larger global corporate citizenship program, Sands Cares. Launched in April, the program brings together the company’s corporate social responsibility priorities: supporting people in the company and the hospitality industry, making local communities where LVS operates a better place to live, and reducing environmental impact on the planet.

For more information about Sands Cares and key initiatives, please visit www.sandscares.sands.com.

About Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Less than a year after expanding into Asia, Clean the World had the honor of being recognized by the Business Awards of Macau. Noting our efforts to reduce the amount of waste bound for landfills, judges selected Clean the World for the Excellence Award in the Environmental Performance category.

In its second year, the Business Awards of Macau promote the best achievements of companies and individuals that have made exceptional contributions toward the development of Macau. The program honors leadership, talent, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and strategic accomplishments. It provides an opportunity for the Macau business community to show off their achievements to society. Participation in the awards is open to all individuals, businesses of all sizes and from all sectors, and other relevant organizations that conduct activities in Macau on a permanent basis.

Expanding into a new region presents more than a few challenges, but we were lucky to have assistance from so many helpful partners, including Sands, The Peninsula, Mandarin and Conrad. Thanks to everyone and all the organizations supporting the Global Hygiene Revolution in Asia.

Visit the Business Awards of Macau website for more information.

Clean the World rolled out the red carpet at a new Recycling Operations Center in Hong Kong on Wednesday. This new, expanded facility is outfitted with a complete production line to turn discarded hotel soap into clean new bars. Soap from hotel partners in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore will flow into the Hong Kong facility.

Along with founder Shawn Seipler and chief strategy officer Michael O’Quinn, Clean the World Asia managing director Jolene Han welcomed guests and provided tours of the facility. Visitors included executives from Sands, The Peninsula, Mandarin and Conrad.

This new production line and our expanded footprint in Asia would not have happened without the generous support of Las Vegas Sands Corp. A $1 million corporate citizenship donation announced last month provided funds for additional growth both in the United States and internationally.

Sands properties in Macau have contributed more than 40,000 pounds of discarded soap, which will be converted into 100,000 recycled bars. The soap will be distributed to people who are at high risk of contracting hygiene-related illnesses.

Assisting Jolene in the Hong Kong center are logistics partner Otto Wang, and manufacturing partner Alan Choy.

A red carpet welcome for visitors to our Hong Kong Recycling Operations Center.	Chief Strategy Officer Michael O’Quinn making sure the recycled soap bars meet our high quality standards.
Clean the World founder Shawn Seipler (right) greeted guests and offered tours.	Guests got a first-hand look at how Clean the World converts trash to life-saving treasure.

Tomorrow (Oct. 15) is Global Handwashing Day 2013.

One of the most amazing things about the Global Hygiene Revolution is that we now have 2,000 hotels participating in Clean the World’s hospitality recycling program. That is something we never could have imagined five years ago.

Every one of those 2,000 properties needs collection bins, shipping labels and training material. That’s why in the upcoming months, all our partners will get to know Sherry Smith and her team of customer service representatives. Sherry joined Clean the World in August as the director of customer service. She has nearly 20 years of experience in customer service, and she is no stranger to the challenges of working in a rapidly growing organization.

Here’s a little free advice for executives and business leaders: If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, passionate expert to describe your product or service, maybe you should walk right on past your sales team and go talk to a few people in the warehouse. Or on the production floor. Or in the driver’s lounge.

Danny Simmons (click for larger version)

The Global Hygiene Revolution.

The “global” part of that phrase can be a little challenging because the world is a pretty big place. However, at Clean the World we constantly work toward finding new partners and implementing solutions to help us combat hygiene-related illnesses around the globe.

The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel

That’s why we joined with Sands China Ltd. to serve the hospitality industry in Macao and Hong Kong. This is the first presence in Asia for Clean the World. The Cotai Strip Resort and Sands Macao are key sponsors for this vital environmental and lifesaving initiative by participating with 10,000 guest rooms across their properties.

Mark McWhinnie is the Senior Vice President of Operations at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel and Sands Cotai Central. This is what Mark said in a press release distributed in China: “With the vast number of hotel rooms in Macao and Hong Kong, there is an enormous opportunity for the hospitality industry to recycle soap that will help people in our region and around the world. Clean the World provides soap in countries where there is a high incidence of death from hygiene-related illnesses. They also have programs to support our local charities, as well as disaster relief response for major weather events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and typhoons.”

It’s so great to have Sands China as a key supporter in Asia. The company’s support allows us to establish a presence in the region and support environmental and hygiene initiatives in Hong Kong and Macao. At Clean the World’s new soap cleansing and recycling facility in Hong Kong, we expect to collect and recycle 100 metric tons of soap in the first year.

Clean the World Company, Ltd. runs the Macao operations, while Clean the World, Ltd. operates in Hong Kong. Together they are known as “Clean the World – Asia, ” and are led by Shailesh Adhav, who is the Managing Director, Clean the World – Asia.

Robert Bahret got more than a typical “Happy New Year” when Clean the World CEO Shawn Seipler called him at the beginning of 2012. That call launched Bahret on a new career path – and landed him in a new state just a few days later.

Chris Mares was just looking for a job when he came to work at Clean the World, but he found a lot more. Recycling soap in the operations department opened up an opportunity for him to flex his artistic muscles and make the Orlando production facility a nicer place for employees and visitors. 

One of the things hotels love about working with Clean the World is that we provide them with printed, pre-paid shipping labels. When a collection bin is full, all a hospitality partner has to do is seal it, apply the shipping label and wait for UPS to pick it up.

Crystal has been with Clean the World since April of 2011. She started on our Operations team and worked her way up to Customer Service. This logistics wizard provides all our partners with labels for inbound shipping, and also sends out the replacement bins so collections can continue. And if that’s not enough, Crystal handles issues such as lost packages and claims.

If you took every bar of soap distributed by Clean the World in 2012 and put them end-to-end, they would stretch from our headquarters in downtown Orlando all the way up Interstate 4 to Daytona Beach, on up Interstate 95 to the Courtyard Jacksonville Mayo Clinic/Beaches – and then around the parking lot a few times.

Astrid Zelaya grew up in a place where many people lacked basic hygiene necessities, which is why she is such a big supporter of Clean the World. Currently a human resources manager at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando, Astrid spent most of her life in Honduras.

Her family was luckier than many because Astrid’s father worked for Chiquita Bananas in Honduras. It wasn’t easy to support six daughters on his salary, but the family had everything they needed.

“I didn’t suffer, but I saw suffering in the people around us,” said Astrid. “I went to different fields where farmers grew bananas, and it was so hard for me to understand why I had everything in my house and they didn’t. These other families lived just five kilometers away, but it was a different world.”

Although Astrid’s family lived in the banana fields, the company provided a nice house with all the modern conveniences and accommodations. However, nearby farmers who didn’t work for the company lived in small homes without showers and they bathed in the river. When visiting those fields with her father, Astrid saw children without clothes or shoes. At the tender age of 7, this realization had a significant affect on her.

“I asked my parents why people lived that way,” said Astrid. “So they started collecting the clothes we outgrew, and I enjoyed going to those little aldeas, which is what we call the small towns, and giving them things that were still in good condition. They were so happy with what they received. So I have that memory from my childhood.”

Astrid’s desire to help others stayed with her when she went to college and earned a degree in industrial engineering. She worked with other students to collect clothing and food, which they would deliver to various aldeas on Saturdays as a community service.

In the years following college, Astrid worked in Honduras and traveled internationally for business while her family relocated to the United States. Her father’s declining health eventually prompted Astrid to come to the U.S. as well.

“When I came here, I applied to I sent out so many resumes,” said Astrid. “No one was calling me for an interview because I didn’t have experience here. Then one day I was in front of the Nickelodeon Suites Resort, and I loved the colors and loved that it was a family hotel. I just thought it would be an amazing place for me. So I stopped.”

At the time, the hotel was looking for someone to run the laundry facility. That was an interesting stroke of luck, because Astrid previously spent eight years in the garment industry. She worked for a company that operated an industrial laundry facility in Honduras. The facility washed denim pants manufactured there for American clothing brands.

After she was well into her career in the garment industry, Astrid earned a degree in human resources and went to work as a consultant. So when she came to the United States, the job at Nickelodeon Suites was a match made in heaven.

Astrid accepted an offer from Nickelodeon to work as the laundry supervisor. While working with the laundry team, which was primarily staffed by Haitian immigrants, she noticed employees opening up folded washcloths to remove bars of soap which were set aside. That was her first exposure to Clean the World. The staff explained that the used soap was recycled and sent back to their country.

In 2008 the hotel had an opening in human resources and Astrid moved on from the laundry facility. By that time she had great relationships with people on the operations side of the hotel – and a strong appreciation for Clean the World’s mission.

Astrid also was selected to head up the company’s Green Committee. Her first goal was to secure a green designation for Nickelodeon Suites. Within a year, the Nickelodeon Suites Resort was recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with a Green Lodging Certification for environmentally friendly hotel practices.

Between her HR position and her duties with the Green Committee, Astrid gets the opportunity to work with many members of the hotel’s housekeeping staff. She sees how proud they are to be part of the Global Hygiene Revolution by collecting soap for Clean the World.

“When they come back in the afternoon with a bag full of soap, they are so excited about what they have collected,” said Astrid. “They smile because they know the bins are filling up. We connect on this issue because we all come from poor countries. We have all seen it. And that is why our housekeepers have the commitment to help Clean the World. They know it makes a difference for their people.”

Global Handwashing Day (GHD) was more like Global Handwashing WEEK at Clean the World.

GHD was officially Monday, Oct. 15, but we held events throughout the week to recognize the importance of hand washing as a way to prevent the spread of illness. Our awesome volunteers stepped up to help both at our Orlando headquarters and our Las Vegas Regional Operations Center.

Orlando:

Volunteers from Hands on Orlando, Colonial High School and First Presbyterian Church Serve Day teamed up to pack 2,700 hygiene kits.

From the University of Central Florida, members of UCF Knights Give Back and Pre-Professional Medical Society packed 4,646 hygiene kits.

Volunteers in Orlando contributed approximately 345 hours, processed 3,700 bars of soap and packed 7,346 hygiene kits. The kits were donated to homeless advocacy programs operated by the Salvation Army in Central Florida.

Las Vegas:

AmeriCorps Nevada State members partnered with United Way of Southern Nevada to create 576 hygiene kits for donation to the Teacher EXCHANGE of the Clark Country School District in Las Vegas. Teacher EXCHANGE director Tim McCubbin donated kits to the following schools in Clark County:

Recently we told you about an effort to raise $54,000 for new equipment that will allow us to reduce our soap recycling time by 85 percent. With this additional machinery, we can quickly process the surplus of 2 million soap bars currently residing in our Orlando facility.

As of this morning, we were at 10 percent of our goal. It’s a great start – but there is still a long way to go, and a short time to get there. With help from you, your family and friends, we will turn that surplus into new, pressed bars that will be delivered to impoverished families around the world by this Christmas. But we simply can’t do it without you.

Here are three easy ways you can help today:

     1) If you are able to offer financial support, please visit our RocketHub page now. Every little bit helps.

     2) If you are an influencer, we ask that you consider organizing a fundraiser at your place of business, church, school or other organization.

     3) If you already supported our RocketHub campaign or are not able to at this time, please pass along this newsletter to your friends or family members who might be interested in joining the Global Hygiene Revolution. The more you help us spread the word, the more lives we can save by protecting people from hygiene-related illnesses.

Thanks for joining us on our journey!

Twenty-one days.

With our current production line, that’s how long it takes us to recycle enough soap to fill an 18-wheeler.

However, with the purchase of four new machines, we can dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to recycle partially used soap from the hospitality industry. A $54,000 investment in equipment will allow us to cut production time by 85 percent – from three weeks to three days.

You can help by contributing to our new fundraising campaign on RocketHub.com. In our new video on the campaign page, co-founders Shawn Seipler and Paul Till explain exactly what Clean the World does and how the funds will be used. Please pass it along to your friends, colleagues and your social network. For those who aren’t familiar with Clean the World, the video is a great introduction to the cause.

The increased efficiency gained with four new machines would mean we can immediately process a backlog of two million bars, delivering them to impoverished families around the world by this Christmas. Your donation will also create jobs in our processing plants, keep soap out of landfills, and free our volunteers to build hygiene kits that go out to homeless shelters and soup kitchens across North America, and to families in need around the world.

Naked hair stylists, prep school students, sustainability sisters, church groups, a local hospitality partner, and realtor associations. All have made recent soap donations to help Clean the World.

More than 329 lbs. of soap and bottled amenities were donated from various sources in the past few weeks by eager supporters of Clean the World from around the United States. And we are receiving more boxes, bins, and bags full of hygiene products each day.

Naked Hair Salon & More! of Delray Beach, Fla., donated 15 lbs. of soaps and bottled amenities donated by their clients. In fairness, the hair stylists are not naked, but the owners of Naked Hair Salon and More! couldn’t “bare” to see good beauty products go to waste. They organized a donation at the south Florida salon as a way to “give back to our environment” and limit landfill waste. The hygiene products were shipped via Clean the World corporate partner UPS to the Orlando recycling operations center in early May. “Thank you for allowing us to partner with you to make a difference,” they wrote.

Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Fla. conducted a soap drive as a service leadership project by its elementary school students after a visit by Clean the World in April. The students collected 77 lbs. of soaps and shampoos, which were dropped off in-person at the Orlando facility. “Your presentation worked,” said the students.

Allison and Jillian Samowitz, twin sisters from Golden Beach, Fla. who were featured in Reader’s Digest earlier this year, visited Clean the World’s Orlando headquarters and brought a gift of 28 lbs. of soap collected from their classmates at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The sisters, who met Clean the World CEO Shawn Seipler as both received Sustainable Florida Best Practices Awards last year, have formed an organization called Proseed2Green, which promotes environmental awareness in small communities. “We wanted to support this incredible cause,” they said.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., a local Clean the World partner, hosted a soap drive and collected 113 lbs. of store-bought soaps from hotel employees and friends. That’s above and beyond the guest-room amenities collections we regularly receive from this partner. Love to see that extra effort and passion helps save lives around the world.

After hearing an NPR interview that featured Clean the World, a group of women at Our Lady of the Wayside Church in Arlington Heights, Ill., organized a community soap drive. The Christian Family Movement group collected 62 lbs. of soaps, hand sanitizers, shampoos, lotions and gels from parishioners and community residents.

“One of the missions of Christian Family Movement is to perform actions that promote social justice. This soap drive was a perfect fit for us,” they wrote.

And NAIOP, a commercial real estate trade association in Herndon, Va., organized a Clean the World soap drive over a two-week period after learning about Clean the World from our amenities partner, LATHER. The collection netted 16 lbs. of soaps and amenities for people in need.
When will you organize a soap drive in your community? It’s easy. Here’s how.

Thanks for all of our soap donation organizers — past, present, and future — for helping Clean the World.

Clean the World has experienced a surge in soap donations from schools, churches, civic organizations, and individuals interested in providing better hygiene opportunities for families in the United States and foreign countries.

“People are often amazed at how simple it is to organize a community soap drive, but when they do get one started, it can be so rewarding,” Mosley says. “Each day we receive phone calls and emails from wonderful people who just want to do something to help, and a soap drive is a tangible way for families and organizations to rally in favor of improved health and hygiene.”

Hospital workers, Boys and Girls Scout troops, college sororities, corporations and women’s ministry groups are just some of the recent contributors of new soaps to Clean the World.

Even hotel workers are getting into the act. Recently, The InterContinental Chicago O’Hare Hotel organized a soap drive among its employees, which resulted in 600 lbs. of soaps being donated to Clean the World.

“What a remarkable soap drive,” Mosley said. “And they weren’t even hotel soaps. These were soaps purchased and donated by employees for the benefit of children and famillies around the world. I think that makes it extra special.”

If you or your organization would like to participate in a community soap drive, please visit the soap drive link on the Clean the World website to learn more about it, and contact Marti Mosley directly at mmosley@ctw2.wpstagecoach.com to get started on your way toward soap drive success.

It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that may be true. But what kind of value can you place on a video of Clean the World’s efforts to save lives with soap?

PeopleTowels® and Clean the World®, announce the launch of their partnership program, Clean Hands, Clean World™. 

With a mission to halt the spread of preventable infectious diseases in a sustainable manner, the program distributes recycled soap and reusable hand towels to impoverished communities, saving lives while reducing waste and conserving natural resources.
 

“Our partnership with Clean the World aligns perfectly with PeopleTowels’ mission to reduce waste,” says Mary Wallace, co-founder of PeopleTowels.  “By using recycled soaps and reusable hand towels, together we incorporate a sustainability element in this humanitarian effort that reinforces the message that even when meeting basic human needs, we need to do so with minimal impact on the environment.”

Update as of March 20, 2012:
Clean the World partners with 1,342 hospitality properties, which represent 291,689 hotel rooms. Corporate partners include Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Caesars Entertainment, The Walt Disney World Resorts, Joie de Vivre Hotels, and many more. And we welcome your participation in our hospitality partnership program that recycles soap and saves lives.

Clean the World is proud to have hospitality partnerships in all 50 United States, 10 Canadian provinces, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The darker concentrations of colors represent a greater density of hospitality partners in one city or region. As you can see, while we have considerable coverage on the map, there is still lots of room for growth.

The hospitality partners served by Clean the World represent roughly 6% of the total North American marketplace for the hospitality industry. Since we’re optimists at Clean the World, we see this as a 94% opportunity to grow our social enterprise and truly transform the way the hospitality industry thinks about amenities recycling, sustainability, and socially responsible customer service. And we’re saving lives in the process.

So, who wants to help us turn the entire North American hospitality industry green? From large corporate flags and hotel brands to small, independent bed-and-breakfasts throughout North America, we are on a mission to collect, recycle, and distribute hotel guest room amenities to help stop the spread of preventable diseases. With your continued help and support, we’re well on our way toward achieving a global hygiene revolution. Click here to join our program today.

Soon we’ll have partners in Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Wherever the spread of preventable diseases may be stopped by promoting and providing bar soap and proper hygiene, we will be there. Because soap saves lives.

Thanks for helping Clean the World.



Paul Till and Debi Kinney from Clean the World

Clean the World was founded three years ago with a simple mission: To recycle soap and save lives. And our mission is as simple and essential today as it was in the beginning.

More than 9,000 children die each day from hygiene-related illnesses around the world. That’s 3.5 million lives lost per year.

According to medical research studies by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, more than 60 percent of these deaths can be prevented by regular hand washing with bar soap. It’s a challenge worth accepting to save these lives while there is still time, and with the hygiene resources we have in abundance. Clean the World was founded to meet that challenge and stop this needless loss of life.

Think about the hospitality industry for a moment. 4.6 million hotel rooms in the United States and 16 million hotel rooms globally. Hotels and resorts in the United States alone throw away more than one million bars of soap each day, an estimated 4 million discarded daily across the globe. And that’s a conservative estimate. By throwing away the soap, we add to our growing problem of landfill waste – that’s another big concern.

Clean the World’s solution is simple. Rather than throw away these guest room amenities – and add to our planet’s growing sanitation problems – Clean the World recycles these soaps and places them in the hands of children to help stop the spread of fatal disease. In just three years we have helped divert more than 1.4 million pounds of hotel waste from local landfills. And we couldn’t do it without your passion and support.

More than 20 of our hospitality partners are located in Nevada, with a large concentration located within the Las Vegas city limits. As more people come to Las Vegas for work and play, let’s make it our shared mission to extend the life of the amenities they use to help save lives at home and abroad.

Robert Samuel from Stop Hunger Now visits with Rosanna Kingston at Clean the World headquarters in Orlando, Fla. Clean the World recently shipped 10,500 lbs. of soap to Raleigh, N.C.-based Stop Hunger Now, which will be included in hygiene and food kits distributed in Kenya and throughout the 76 countries they serve worldwide.

Bob McAbee rededicated his life to helping others.

It’s Thanksgiving week in the United States, but we don’t need to have a holiday to be thankful for the people who help support Clean the World.

That includes the many fine people who work each day to ensure that our operations run smoothly so hygiene products may be recycled and distributed to people they may never meet.

One such person is our own Bob McAbee, facility director at Clean the World’s Las Vegas Recycling Operations Center.

Bob recently shared his very personal story – he calls it his “testimony” – with Sonya Padgett, a reporter from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Reading the story helps remind us all that no matter where we may be in life at this very moment, there is always something better ahead for us if we just work hard, rededicate our efforts and believe in the power to transform our lives by helping others.

Thanks for helping Clean the World. Happy Thanksgiving!

Clean the World continues on a frenetic pace with soap and bottled amenities distributions in the United States, Canada and countries around the world. And we are expecting these numbers to grow as we enter the holiday “giving” season where charitable donations are in steep demand.

Thanks to Elizabeth Tran, Miss Teen Florida International 2012, for attending our Inaugural Clean the World Gala and for volunteering to recycle soap at our Orlando facility during our “Soapy Saturday” event. We appreciate your passion and support. Thanks for helping Clean the World.

Elizabeth Tran, Miss Teen Florida International 2012

Gala host Tom Sorrells and Elizabeth Tran

Miss Teen Florida International 2012 volunteers at Clean the World

Actress Mariana Klaveno celebrated a birthday this week. But that is just one of the accomplishments that seem to be piling up recently for the Hollywood starlet.

In just a few months, Klaveno has gone from a critically acclaimed and fan-favorite role as Lorena on HBO’s “True Blood” series, to a new role in the white-hot Showtime series, “Dexter.” A TNT movie, “Innocent”, is scheduled for broadcast Nov. 29 and, yes, she’s also getting married soon.

In between all that, though, is something Klaveno truly treasures – her role as celebrity spokesperson for Clean the World. She will be presenting at the Inaugural Clean the World and will have an opportunity to meet with the hospitality industry professionals who are helping Clean the World.

“I had a chance while filming ‘Innocent’ in Vancouver to visit the Clean the World recycling operations center,” Klaveno says. “I spent some time with the women from Mission Possible who work there, heard their stories, and really connected with them while we were all scraping soaps. It was a very rewarding experience.”

Klaveno has recorded public service announcements for Clean the World, such as this one promoting the Text 2 Donate fundraising option, and another to promote the Gala. Her visibility as a spokesperson for Clean the World helps bring attention to the mission of recycling soap and saving lives.

“It’s such a simple thing, isn’t it?” she asks. “Yet when people really hear the numbers of children who die from disease because of lack of soap, it’s heartbreaking. Especially when you consider all the soap that is thrown away in the hospitality industry each day. I’m proud of the Clean the World partners who have joined the global hygiene revolution to save lives with soap, and look forward to meeting many at the Gala. Thanks for helping Clean the World.”

There’s no professional basketball in the immediate future. The lockout situation continues for the National Basketball Association, and the first few weeks of the NBA season have already been removed from the schedule. So a lot of NBA players and coaches have time on their hands as they wait and wonder if the 2011-2012 will ever begin.

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy is making great use of his time by volunteering in several central Florida communities, and helping Clean the World. Van Gundy has been a vocal supporter of Clean the World for months, and he’s recorded several public service announcements and promotional videos on behalf of its lifesaving soap recycling program.

Here’s a story that displays Van Gundy’s enthusiasm for Clean the World, and why he is proud to be a supporter of this organization.

“The Coach” will be attending the Inaugural Clean the World Gala on Nov. 5 at The Peabody Orlando. He’ll meet and greet guests, sign autographs, talk basketball, and about how soap can save lives.

Thank you, Stan Van Gundy. Your kind of passion is always welcome – on the basketball court and off.



Thomas McClary, Lionel Ritchie, and Ronald LaPreade of The Commodores.

They call him “Mr. Brickhouse.” You may not immediately recall the name, but you’ll certainly recognize the music.

Thomas McClary, founder of The Commodores, is bringing a rich history of music, faith and wisdom in support of Clean the World.

McClary, who wrote more than 25 percent of all the songs for The Commodores and co-produced hits such as “Three Times a Lady”, “Easy”, “Lady You Bring Me Up” and “Sail On”, will be a special guest at the Inaugural Clean the World Gala, Saturday, Nov. 5, at The Peabody Orlando.

An Orlando resident since 1967, McClary is a frequent visitor to the Clean the World soap recycling facility in downtown Orlando, and he’s been instrumental in spreading the word about Clean the World’s efforts to stop the spread of preventable diseases with soap.

“Clean the World has certainly touched the heart and soul of so many people around the world with its desire to eradicate disease and save lives,” McClary says. “Soap and water are things too many of us take for granted, until it’s not available. Clean the World has zeroed in on the benefits of soap and the power it has to stop the spread of fatal disease. I’m certainly touched by that and happy to help spread the word.”

In addition to The Commodores, where he collaborated with his friend Lionel Ritchie, McClary has worked with music superstars such as Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, The Four Tops, James Ingram, and Melissa Manchester. His contacts within the music industry, and the friendships he has established over the years, may have far-reaching benefits for Clean the World and the people who will benefit from receiving recycled soaps and bottled amenities.

“We all travel and stay in nice hotels and resorts, and certainly, we all use soap,” McClary says. “Clean the World is providing a much-needed and easy to understand solution for people who don’t have such luxuries. I’m glad your hotel partners have made a strong commitment to help people who are less fortunate receive a little more care and comfort.”

McClary and the original members of The Commodores are back in the studio again working on a CD that he hopes will be “ready to hit the streets” by April 2012.

“The CD is being recorded in Orlando and Los Angeles,” McClary says. “It’s all new music, and it’s fun to bring some history and the heartbeat of the music from the 1970s, while marching to the commercial appetites of today’s consumers.”

Look for McClary at the Inaugural Clean the World Gala and sing a few lyrics from your favorite Commodores song. He’ll take it from there.

“It’s a privilege to touch people with music,” he says. “It brings great joy.”

Clean the World is working with UPS to ensure that all deliveries of soaps and bottled amenities from Clean the World will be recognized as “carbon neutral” and eligible to earn carbon offset credits to help protect our planet.

UPS offers carbon neutral shipping to Clean the World and its participating hospitality partners. As part of this innovative program, all collection bins and packages shipped via UPS will be specially marked with the UPS carbon neutral shipment logo. The special logo is a symbol of Clean the World’s commitment to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) impact from shipping, and the desire of our more than 1,200 hospitality partners throughout North America to promote sustainability and social responsibility.

UPS purchases certified carbon (CO2) offsets to help balance out the emissions produced by the transportation of shipments, including soaps and bottled amenities, as they are distributed around the world. UPS has supported projects that include reforestation, landfill gas destruction, wastewater treatment, and methane destruction.

“Consistent with our commitment to sustainability and protecting our planet, carbon neutral shipping through UPS is an exciting, new and valuable component to our hospitality partnership program,” says Shawn Seipler, CEO at Clean the World. “We’re happy to take part in a socially responsibly shipping solution, and we encourage our hotel partners to do the same so we can save lives with soap while creating a cleaner world.”

Clean the World receives and ships large volumes of soaps and bottled amenities each day, so this carbon neutral program with UPS should be an excellent fit. Since February 2009 Clean the World has distributed more than 9 million bars of soap and more than 500,000 lbs. of bottled amenities in the United States, Canada and more than 45 countries.

When an outbreak of cholera occurred in Haiti in 2010, Clean the World sprung into action by delivering 300,000 bars of soap in less than three months. As the disease spread throughout Haiti, Clean the World turned to additional hygiene partners to help prevent future illness and death.

The Avmor Corporation, one of Canada’s leading manufacturers of cleaning and sanitation products, stepped up in a big way by donating at its own expense an entire semi-truck full of hand sanitizer gel and foam for distribution to children and families in Haiti. The truck contained more than 48,000 bottles of hygiene products.

Mattie Chinks, president and CEO at Avmor, and his team contacted Clean the World and asked if the hand sanitizers could be delivered into Haiti alongside donations of hotel soaps and bottled amenities. The truckload of sanitizers was delivered to Clean the World headquarters in Orlando for shipment to Haiti, particularly in areas where soap is always in short supply. But there was still the issue of how to get it there. That’s when another partner stepped in at a time of great need.

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, with offices in Doral, Fla., provided the container necessary to ship the hygiene supplies to Haiti. Hellmann also arranged for trucking of the supplies from Orlando to its warehouse near the Port of Miami and loaded the container with all of the hand sanitizers from Avmor. Days later, the hand sanitizers arrived in Port-Au-Prince and have since been distributed to communities in need throughout Haiti.

Special thanks to Avmor Corporation and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics for your commitment to helping Clean the World.

Earlier this month Clean the World helped foster a spirit of patriotism and volunteerism by honoring the memory of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on United States soil. The Orlando facility welcomed a variety of soap recycling volunteers – hotel partners, school groups, church groups and individuals — for a few days of concentrated community service.

The dedicated volunteers worked hard to remove surface debris and help recycle as many soap bars as possible in an effort to sanitize 9,110 bars of soap to mark the 10th anniversary of that horrific event. The ambitious volunteers exceeded that goal. They recycled an estimated 10,000 soap bars by Sept. 11.

“Our volunteers were united in their focus and determined to meet that goal,” says Rosanna Kingston, volunteer coordinator at Clean the World. “It’s a positive, uplifting way to mark a somber anniversary, and it gives us hope in our battle against the spread of diseases worldwide.”

Clean the World joins with others around the United States and our world in memoriam of this painful date in our collective history. It is the hope of our organization that a healthy volunteer spirit and a desire to stop the spread of preventable diseases will unite us in a global hygiene revolution that saves lives all around the world.

In an interesting twist on International Clean Hands Week, Clean the World welcomed a new partner to join the global hygiene revolution. PeopleTowels, makers of an on-the-go alternative to paper towels, partnered with Clean the World to help fight spread of preventable disease and rid the world of unnecessary landfill waste.

The Monterey, Calif.-based PeopleTowels organization donated more than 10,000 reusable PeopleTowels to Clean the World with plans to include them with donations of soaps and bottled amenities for children and families at home and abroad.

“PeopleTowels is thrilled to partner with Clean the World to advance basic hygiene in the most eco-friendly manner, making use of recycled soaps and cleanser and sustainably produced, reusable hand towels that prevent solid waste and conserve resources,” says Linda Lannon, CEO of PeopleTowels. “Working together, Clean the World and PeopleTowels will provide thousands of people in need with the ability to reduce the spread of infectious disease through the simple act of hand washing. Advancing global health is as much a part of building a more sustainable world as how green the products we use and consume and conserving natural resources are, making this collaboration with Clean the World a natural advancement of our mutual goals.”

Plans are to wrap the soaps and bottled amenities in PeopleTowels and create sustainable hygiene kits for children and communities in the United States, Canada and all around the globe. Volunteers at Clean the World will help create the eco-friendly satchels and they will be distributed by Clean the World personnel and global distribution partners wherever there is a need for improved health and hygiene.

“This is a logical partnership that extends our efforts to advance sustainability and promote better opportunities for improved hygiene health,” says Shawn Seipler, co-founder of Clean the World. “PeopleTowels came to our attention at the recommendation of another valued partner, The American Cleaning Institute, and we’re encouraged of the good we can do in delivering the tools of better hygiene in a convenient, portable and reusable way.”

Clean the World and PeopleTowels will mark the start of their partnership with a “big event” on Oct. 15 – Global Handwashing Day. Further details will be available soon.

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy knows a lot about defense. What you may not realize is that he also has a passion for fighting germs.

“Too many children are dying all around the world because they don’t have enough soap to kill germs,” Van Gundy says. “By helping Clean the World, we can distribute more soap to provide children and families with a strong defense against the spread of fatal disease.”

Van Gundy works at the Amway Center, home of the Orlando Magic, a mere inbound pass away from Clean the World headquarters in downtown Orlando. He’s familiar with the organization and its success with distributing more than 9 million bars of soap to children and families in more than 45 countries. Van Gundy is enthusiastic in his support of Clean the World’s global hygiene revolution to save lives with soap.

“This place is awesome,” Van Gundy said during a recent visit to Clean the World. “It smells great and there’s so much energy here. Everyone here realizes they have an important role to play in helping save the lives of children who need soap and better hygiene. I love the idea and will do all I can to help.”

The coach was kind enough to record several public service announcements on behalf of Clean the World during his visit. Here’s one now on his favorite topic: Defense.

“Soap is a simple solution,” Van Gundy says. “But just as in basketball, you can’t achieve your goals without putting in the hard work. Clean the World and its hotel partners are doing that hard work everyday to stop the spread of acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease. And it’s working. That’s what I call winning with defense.”

Cora Duncan, executive housekeeper at Capital Hotel in Little Rock, Ark., shares the success story of her involvement with Clean the World.

If you’ve ever wondered about the impact of your participation in the Clean the World hospitality partnership program, just watch this video.

Witness the power of domestic distribution to homeless shelters and missions in need of hygiene supplies that the hospitality industry can provide in abundance.

Thanks, Cora, for your passion and for helping Clean the World.

MPI helps Clean the World

It’s early Saturday morning, July 23. As many Orlando visitors were rising to enjoy their theme park character breakfasts, an intrepid group of nearly 70 MPI WEC 2011 attendees traveled to downtown Orlando for an opportunity to help Clean the World.

A happy gathering of meeting planners, tourism professionals, event organizers and industry reporters came to Clean the World headquarters to recycle soap and save lives.

The event, hosted by Clean the World and Visit Orlando, was a clean and fun example of corporate social responsibility (CSR) promoted by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) before the official start of the 2011 World Education Congress (WEC) at the Orange County Convention Center.

The enthusiastic crowd arrived on a hot and muggy weekend morning to learn more about Clean the World’s efforts to recycle hotel soaps and save lives by stopping the spread of preventable diseases through better hygiene.

Gregg Herning, event chair, Clean the World Gala

The day was also a chance to formally announce the Inaugural Clean the World Gala, scheduled to be held Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 at The Peabody Orlando. Clean the World CEO and co-founder Shawn Seipler introduced Gregg Herning, vice president of sales and marketing for Peabody Hotels and event chair for the Gala committee, who welcomed all MPI guests to sponsor and attend the Gala.

After the outdoor Gala announcement, event attendees poured inside of Clean the World’s Recycling Operations Center (ROC) to begin the initial phase of soap recycling. Guests grabbed plastic knives and produce peelers to help remove the surface debris from soaps collected from Clean the World’s more than 1,100 hotel partners throughout North America.

At the end of a brief but energetic effort the results were announced. Guests at the event helped recycle enough soaps and bottled amenities to help improve hygiene habits for 2,200 children worldwide.

Thanks to all who attended the MPI WEC event at Clean the World.

SUMMARY: Mark Rucker of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Bob Scaglione of Sharp Electronics Corp., and Central Florida cosmetic dentist Dr. Paul J. Skomsky elected to add expertise and leadership to the Orlando-based social enterprise that is recycling soap and saving lives

Clean the World Foundation, the largest global distributor of recycled hotel soaps and bottled amenities, has elected two executives and a medical professional to its Board of Directors.

Mark Rucker, Vice President of Lodging for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and Bob Scaglione, Chief Marketing Officer at Sharp Electronics Corporation in Mahwah, N.J., were chosen to join the Clean the World Foundation Board of Directors at a June 13 meeting. Dr. Paul J. Skomsky, an Orlando cosmetic dentist, was chosen at a meeting July 7. The appointments are effective immediately.

Rucker, Scaglione and Dr. Skomsky join the organization’s two co-founders – Executive Director Shawn Seipler and Managing Director Paul Till – on the Clean the World Foundation Board of Directors.

Orlando, Fla.-based Clean the World Foundation has a mission to provide soap where needed to help improve hygiene and sanitation conditions, to lessen the impact of disease, and to promote better hygiene and living conditions worldwide. Beneficiaries of Clean the World’s global hygiene revolution include children and families suffering from high death rates due to the top two killers of children worldwide – acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera).

Mark Rucker, Vice President of Lodging for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Rucker has filled over 13 positions in more than 25 years of leadership with The Walt Disney Company – from his start in 1985 as a Walt Disney World Resorts industrial engineer in both parks and resorts, through stints as general manager of water parks, EPCOT park operations, director of rooms and into his present role as vice president of lodging for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Rucker has kept a sharp eye on developing trends, guest service and hospitality. His involvement with Clean the World is a natural extension of his daily work with Disney, but it’s also something close to his heart.

With his support, Walt Disney World Resort hotels were added as pioneer partners in the Clean the World hospitality partnership program in 2009. Since that time the resort hotels have contributed an estimated 32.5 tons of soaps and bottled amenities from 19 resort properties in Central Florida and Anaheim. Clean the World has recently added Disneyland Resorts in California to its partner portfolio, again with the encouragement of Rucker and the motivated team of Disney hospitality leaders and professionals.

“I believe in the mission of the Clean the World Foundation and realize the impact we are already having on the lives of children who are in desperate need of hygiene products,” Rucker says. “The Walt Disney World Resort hotels alone provide tremendous amounts of soaps and bottled amenities that are being recycled into lifesaving items for children and families in the United States and all around the world.”

Bob Scaglione, Chief Marketing Officer, Sharp Electronics Corporation
Scaglione has been with Sharp Electronics Corporation for 22 years and is responsible for brand communications and new business development. A leader in the consumer electronics marketing industry, Scaglione served as senior vice president and group manager for Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America. He’s led the marketing and product development of Sharp’s lineup of consumer audio and video products, as well as spearheading sales and marketing for the company’s digital products division. As a longtime supporter and friend of Clean the World, Scaglione’s personal and professional commitment to sustainability is echoed by the efforts of the organization in areas beyond the hospitality industry.

“Clean the World has enjoyed phenomenal growth and success in the global hospitality industry, but other industries, such as consumer electronics, can play a part as well,” Scaglione says. “Sustainability and social responsibility are defining issues for many corporations in a variety of industries, and Clean the World provides a successful, practical platform for corporations to learn and share best practices. When you consider how many lives may be saved simply by putting soap in the hands of people who need them most, it’s easy to see how people from all walks of life and business can come together to help Clean the World.”

Dr. Paul J. Skomsky, Cosmetic Dentist
Dr. Skomsky has been a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry since 1990 and has been a contributing dental provider to charitable and philanthropic foundations, such as Give Kids A Smile and Give Back A Smile for victims of domestic abuse. A frequent media guest for his dental expertise, Dr. Skomsky is also an accomplished artist who has illustrated dental texts and whose original work, prints, and lithographs have been acclaimed and sold worldwide.

“Clean the World’s global commitment to saving the lives of children is so genuine, so simple, I couldn’t possibly say no to this opportunity,” Dr. Skomsky says. “The organization is helping to meet the basic hygiene needs of people in countries all around the globe, and as a member of the board of directors, I’ll make sure we keep to that mission and never waver in our support to children everywhere.”

Clean the World offers sustainable, socially responsible, and charitable programs and services to the international hospitality community. Since its founding in 2009, Clean the World has partnered with more than 1,100 hotel properties in North America to provide soaps and bottled amenities to people in need. Through the efforts of the Clean the World Foundation, the organization has distributed more than 8.5 million bars of soap to children and families in the United States and more than 40 countries worldwide. Clean the World has also fulfilled a valuable environmental mission by diverting an estimated 1.2 million lbs. (600 tons) of hotel waste from polluting landfills worldwide.

“We’re incredibly pleased and excited to add these special and talented men to the Clean the World Foundation Board of Directors,” Seipler says. “Each has his own immense talent that will serve us well as we grow wisely and effectively to save lives with soap.”

She’s played a vampire on TV, but now actress Mariana Klaveno is ready to sink her teeth into something much more rewarding.

Klaveno, who starred as the wildly wicked “Lorena” on HBO’s hit “True Blood” series, is lending her celebrity stature and genuine passion to help Clean the World. [Click here to see her video]

The beautiful actress recently recorded several promotional scripts for Clean the World during a fun day of shooting at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, a prestigious hospitality partner of Clean the World.

“I heard about Clean the World from [comedian] Stephen Colbert,” Klaveno says. “I follow him on Twitter and I saw that he had sent a tweet in November about Clean the World and the soap you were sending to stop the spread of cholera in Haiti.”

The Twitter mention stuck in her mind, as did the thought of recycling soap to save lives. Klaveno made an online donation to Clean the World to help aid the cholera relief efforts, and frequently visited the organization’s website to learn more about how hotels throughout North America were partnering to turn trash into hygiene treasure for people in need. She still wanted to do more.

“During a magazine interview I was asked to give a ‘shout out’ to one of my favorite charities,” Klaveno says. “I had done that in the past, but I wanted to help an organization that maybe wasn’t that well known or hadn’t received that much attention. I immediately thought of Clean the World and wanted to get it on people’s radar – it’s such a wonderful organization.”

Now, as celebrity spokesperson for Clean the World, Klaveno can leverage her fame and growing popularity to help illuminate Clean the World’s efforts to promote a global hygiene revolution.

“It is the simplicity, the ingenuity and resourcefulness that make me love Clean the World so much,” she says. “Soap is something that is so easily recycled to save lives in an immediate and tangible way. People can make an emotional attachment to that. It’s a brilliant idea that’s good for the planet. It’s good for humans, and it’s good for hotels. It’s good for everyone.”

Klaveno recorded several scripts for Clean the World that highlight the remarkable demand for hygiene supplies in the United States, Canada, and underdeveloped nations all around the globe. She said it was a real eye-opener to see some of the statistics and think in a different way about soap – especially hotel soaps – something so many of us take for granted.

“I’ve always loved soaps, and now I love them more,” Klaveno says. “It seems like there are a million hotel options wherever you travel, and one of the easiest things you can do is make the choice to stay at a Clean the World-affiliated hotel. You always have a choice, and that’s a good way to make conscious choices to help Clean the World.”

Klaveno has expressed interest in accompanying Clean the World staff on an upcoming soap distribution trip to Haiti, where Clean the World has already distributed more than 2 million bars of soap since the 2010 earthquake. Like so many other humanitarian missions, she says, it has the potential to really have long-lasting impact.

“I assume it is something that would change your life forever,” Klaveno says. “To see how people in underdeveloped countries live so differently than we do. There’s so much we take for granted. A trip like this will let you know what little it takes to make a positive impact on a child or family. I think it will be something I will remember and treasure forever.”

[Click here to see Mariana Klaveno in her debut as spokesperson for Clean the World.]

What does “sustainability” mean to you? Well, it means the world to us.

Clean the World is honored to have been selected as the winner of the 2011 Sustainable Florida Best Practices Award in the Leadership category. The awards are presented annually by The Collins Center for Public Policy, a prestigious non-profit think tank based in Tallahassee, Fla.

The 2011 Sustainable Florida Best Practices Award recognizes Clean the World’s emergence as the worldwide leader and industry standard for soap and amenities recycling in the hospitality industry, and the launch of a “global hygiene revolution” centered on recycling soap to save lives. The award also looks ahead to Clean the World’s future development of new, sustainable and socially responsible programs and services for the global hospitality community.

Shawn Seipler, co-founder and executive director at Clean the World, accepted the award at a June 2 ceremony hosted by The Plaza Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach, one of Clean the World’s 160 hospitality partners in Florida among a network of more than 1,000 hospitality partners throughout North America. Partners include some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry: Starwood Hotels and Resorts, The Walt Disney World Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Mandarin Oriental, Gilchrist & Soames, Marietta Corporation and many individual hotel flags and brands, including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Joie de Vivre Hotels.

“This is not an individual award, but one that is shared by every employee, every volunteer, every hospitality partner and every person who has ever contributed or received soaps and hygiene supplies from Clean the World,” says Shawn Seipler, co-founder and executive director of Clean the World. “We could not do this without you, and we are truly blessed and privileged to have received such support for our efforts to recycle soap and save lives.”

Clean the World took home the honor in the face of stiff competition because of its creativity in identifying an environmentally friendly opportunity that would help improve overall sustainability in the hospitality industry and beyond. Some other winners of 2011 Sustainable Florida Best Practice awards include Universal Orlando, Baptist Health South Florida, the City of Tallahassee, and Miami Corporation.

Sustainability goes beyond simple recycling of products or an isolated promotion of so-called “green” initiatives by companies, organizations and municipalities. Sustainability also includes the promise of attracting “green” jobs to Florida and the development of an economically viable industry, such as soap and hotel amenities recycling, that could generate revenues for Florida, federal and global businesses. On this score, Clean the World has proven itself a winner.

“Two years ago, there was no market for recycled soap,” Seipler says. “When [co-founder and managing director] Paul Till and I started this organization no one had ever done this before on such a grand scale. Now, more than 1,000 hotel partners have helped pioneer our success, and we’ve created more than 30 jobs in Florida and at least 12 more in other states and Canadian provinces. Our business model is sustainable, and the market reaction to our services has been enthusiastic. We’re looking forward to managing our growth in the immediate future and to the development of an array of sustainable, socially responsible solutions to maximize our efforts in the hospitality industry and accomplish the most good.”

And speaking of sustainability, there’s also the impact Clean the World is having on local landfills. Because of the success of its hotel amenities recycling program, Clean the World has also fulfilled a valuable environmental mission by diverting an estimated 550 tons of hotel waste from polluting landfills in the United States and Canada.

Perhaps what impressed judges most about Clean the World was the simplicity of the eco-friendly idea to collect, recycle and distribute hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions and gels to help stop the spread of disease worldwide. In just two years of operation, Clean the World has distributed more than 8 million bars of soap to children and families in the United States and more than 40 countries.

The soaps and education about proper hand washing are used to battle the top two killers of children younger than 5 years old – acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera). These two diseases claim 3.5 million lives each year, especially in developing nations where soap is considered a luxury, not a necessity. Research shows that more than 60 percent of these deaths can be prevented by simple, regular hand washing with bar soap.

“It’s humbling and amazing to think that Clean the World has grown in just two years from experimenting with soap recycling in my kitchen at home to having recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Toronto,” Seipler says. “Leadership plays a part, but so do the tireless efforts of all who have touched this organization, in practice and in prayer, to help support our mission to save lives. This is a global hygiene revolution that we are leading, and it starts right here in Florida. It’s a big world out there. We’re just getting started.”

Thanks to the Diversity Council and staff of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the generous soap donation to Clean the World.

The Bay State health office conducted a soap drive to help families suffering from a cholera outbreak in Haiti. Their efforts helped collect 250 lbs. of soap that have been sent to Clean the World, and will soon make its way to that island nation.

“We applaud the work of Clean the World and it is our sincere hope that the contribution will help you continue to meet the needs of the individuals you serve,” wrote John Auerbach, public health commissioner.

The Diversity Council traditionally makes contributions to multiple organizations, but decided to sponsor this soap drive for Clean the World as a way to help reduce health concerns stemming from cholera.

Thank you, Massachusetts, for helping Clean the World.

Central Florida is proving to be quite a generous location for Clean the World and a growing list of non-profit organizations and philanthropic partners.

Harvest Time International, which is based in Sanford, Fla., has stepped up to help Clean the World distribute bottled amenities to people in need as part of its organizational mission of “caring by sharing.”

Volunteers from Harvest Time came to Clean the World in mid-May and filled a truckload full of bottle amenities. They will distribute the shampoos, conditioners, lotions and gels to organizations who are asking for hygiene supplies throughout its vast network of missions.

Harvest Time International distributes hunger and relief products to families in need in the United States and developing countries, and responds to disasters worldwide.

Thanks to the fine folks at Aaron’s for donating $1,000 worth of soap and hygiene supplies to Clean the World this week.

Your generous donation of soaps, baby shampoos and lotions will be delivered next week to central Florida crisis nurseries and women’s shelters as part of Clean the World’s focus on domestic distribution to children and families in need.

Phil Guadagno, regional manager for Aaron’s stores in the Orlando-area, made the donation May 5 as part of Aaron’s Community Outreach Program (ACORP), which is dedicated to supporting charitable efforts involving children.

“At Aaron’s we love to give back to the communities that support us,” Guadagno says. “We found out about the Clean the World organization online and thought it sounded like a great organization. Our goal is to help Clean the World rid impoverished communities of disease. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Clean the World is headquartered in Orlando, so we knew we should get involved, however possible, in such a worthy cause.”

Aaron’s is the nation’s leader in the sales and lease ownership of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories. With more than 1,800 store locations in 48 states and Canada, Aaron’s retail locations could play an important role as a potential drop-off centers for soaps and hygiene supplies, especially in times of crisis, such as we are seeing in the aftermath of the recent tornadoes and storms in Southern states.

“This $1,000 donation of soap and hygiene supplies is just the start,” Guadagno says. “We know we can do so much more, and I’m going to encourage other regional managers to get behind this effort by Clean the World to help stop the spread of disease and promote hand washing with soap.”

Are you part of a company or organization with a heart for community outreach? If so, your donations to Clean the World are welcome. Please visit our website to learn about how you can donate soaps and money to help advance our global hygiene revolution.

And if your company, organization, school or church group is interested in volunteer opportunities with Clean the World, please contact Crystal Barker, volunteer coordinator, at cbarker@ctw2.wpstagecoach.com

Thanks for helping Clean the World.

Gilchrist & Soames, a leading provider of luxury hotel amenities, is planning something special for Earth Day, and it will help Clean the World.

The international provider of luxury amenities – soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and body lotions – to four-and five-star hotels throughout the world is taking a step beyond the hotel walls to help stop the spread of preventable diseases.

From Friday, April 22 through Sunday, April 24, Gilchrist & Soames will donate a portion of all proceeds collected from online sales at http://www.gilchristsoames.com/. All items purchased online from an impressive network of G&S-affiliated partners will help advance the global hygiene revolution championed by Clean the World.

Gilchrist & Soames, founded in the United Kingdom and with U.S. headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., has enjoyed a strong partnership with Clean the World. The first “exclusive” amenities partner of Clean the World has helped grow hotel partnerships throughout North America.

Clean the World, founded in Feb. 2009, now has nearly 900 hotel partners in the United States and Canada, many of which proudly provide amenities from Gilchrist & Soames.

The continued support of G&S and its impressive family of hotel partners have helped bring prestige and lots of hygiene products to Clean the World, while delivering lifesaving soaps to children and families in nearly 45 countries. By adding online donations to the mix as part of an Earth Day celebration, G&S confirms its commitment to saving lives by recycling soap with Clean the World.

Again, the Earth Day promotion lasts through the weekend (April 22-24). To participate, visit http://www.gilchristsoames.com/. Make your online purchases of luxury bath and body products and gifts and encourage others to do the same. By doing so, not only will you receive top-quality products, but you’ll take part in something even more impressive: Your generous purchases will help Clean the World.

Guests may come to Sonoma County for the wine, but the greater value may be found in the soaps and shampoos they leave behind.

Kentucky now has a representative hotel partner in the Clean the World recycling program, and the leadership at Hampton Inn Owensboro couldn’t be happier.

Hampton Inn Owensboro, owned by The Malcolm Bryant Corporation, helped take a leap forward with its environmental sustainability initiatives by becoming Clean the World’s first hotel partner in Kentucky. The soaps collected in the 86 rooms and suites at the Hampton Inn Owensboro will be shipped to Clean the World’s headquarters in Orlando for recycling and distribution in the United States and more than 40 countries.

“Our property is proud to be the first hospitality partner for Clean the World in the state of Kentucky,” says Meagan Magnus, general manager of Hampton Inn Owensboro. “We are confident that our participation in their hospitality partnership program will inspire other Kentucky properties to join as well to help use our resources and help turn trash into treasure to help save lives.”

And Kentucky is an attractive location that has been a target of Clean the World for some time.

“Just as it is a hotbed for thoroughbred horse racing and NCAA basketball champions, Kentucky can also become a leader in advancing our global hygiene revolution,” says Shawn Seipler, executive director at Clean the world. “Soap saves lives and guests at Hampton Inn Owensboro can be part of the solution to help stop the spread of preventable diseases simply by washing with bar soap.”

Guests and game players at Hollywood Slots Hotel & Raceway may soon turn their soaps and shampoos into life-saving treasures for people in need.

Hollywood Slots Hotel, owned by Penn National Gaming, has partnered with Clean the World to collect and recycle hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions and gels from its 148 deluxe rooms and suites to help fight the global spread of preventable diseases. At the same time Hollywood Slots becomes the first Clean the World hotel partner in Maine.

Clean the World welcomed 19 students from James Madison University to our Orlando recycling operations center today to help recycle soaps and learn about the importance of personal hygiene and how hand washing with soap can stop the spread of preventable diseases.

The students represent roughly 25% of the Alpha Phi Omega co-ed community service fraternity at JMU. While on Spring Break in Florida, these students filled their schedule with lots of service opportunities to benefit central Florida charitable organizations, such as Clean the World.

• Monday – Cleaning up the campgrounds at Quest’s Camp Thunderbird, a summer camp for adults and children with disabilities.
• Tuesday – Painting a graffiti wall and mulching the landscape for United Cerebral Palsy. They also played BINGO and visited residents at an Easter Seals retirement center.
• Wednesday – Sorting food at the Second Harvest Food Bank in the morning, and playing with children at The Walt Disney World branch of the Boys & Girls Club.
• Thursday – Soap recycling at Clean the World.
• Friday – Sorting donated linens and deconstructing mattresses at The Mustard Seed of Central Florida.

Clean the World gets an abundance of publicity for our outreach efforts around the world, but closer to home there is a need as well. Especially in central Florida, well under the radar, Clean the World has distributed soap to children and families in communities where foreclosure, homelessness and a limping economy have claimed many victims.

• Homeless Services Network of Central Florida (1,000 bars)
• Opportunity House (900 bars)
• Seafarer’s House (3,000 bars)
• Open Homes (1,000 bars)
• Living in Faith Ministries (1,000 bars)
• Fresh Start Ministries (3,000 bars)
• Central Care Mission (6,000 bars)
• Recovery House of Sanford (200 bars)
• Celebration High School (550 bars)

Adding to our growing portfolio of impressive hotel properties, Clean the World proudly welcomes Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos, Inc. to our hospitality partnership program. Ameristar’s eight properties in seven distinct markets have joined Clean the World to recycle guest room soaps and bottled amenities and raise the company’s profile for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and “green” initiatives to help the environment.

Based on Ameristar’s hotel occupancy rates, these are the monthly projections for soaps and bottled amenities to be collected from the eight properties:

– Soap: 2,301 lbs. (more than a ton!)
– Bottled amenities: 1,717 lbs.

These efforts will provide 2,455 children with soap each month.

Ameristar properties teaming with Clean the World include: Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles (greater St. Louis); Ameristar Casino Hotel East Chicago (Chicagoland area); Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City; Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs (Omaha, Neb., and southwestern Iowa); Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg (Jackson, Miss., and Monroe, La.); Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk (Denver metropolitan area); Cactus Petes Resort Casino and The Horseshu Hotel and Casino in Jackpot, Nev. (Idaho and the Pacific Northwest).

As we broaden the reach of our global “hygiene revolution,” Clean the World recycling operations centers will be established in strategic areas around the world.


Well, we’ve just put a flag in the ground on the Canary Islands.

Clean the World Spain has been established in the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa that includes Gran Canaria and Tenerife.  The Canary Islands Tourism Federation signed a collaboration agreement with Clean the World Spain. Businesses there have increasingly made strides toward greater sustainability and environmental awareness, and Clean the World Spain intends to use that as a positive force to advance soap recycling efforts in the hospitality industry.

Some reasons for hospitality businesses to join the program: Save lives, improve the environment, boost employee personal growth opportunities, elevate corporate social responsibility, increase customer satisfaction and receive tax-benefits.

“Establishments that join the Clean the World Spain hospitality partnership program will improve their international image and meet CSR objectives,” says Belinda Anta Jimenez, president of Clean the World Spain. “They will become certified partners in a successful, global soap recycling program that helps save lives.”

Clean The World Spain has contributed to the Canary Islands for the creation and implementation of a Recycling Operations Center (ROC) to serve the needs of children and families in Europe and Northern Africa. With your help and collaboration, Clean the World can make this happen.
 
If you would like your company to be a soap recycling pioneer in Spain, please contact Belinda Anta Jimenez at: banta@cleantheworld.es

You know, it wasn’t too long ago that people wondered if recycling soap was really worth the effort. We’ll let you be the judge:

• In less than two years, Clean the World has collected, recycled and distributed more than 7 million soap bars in the United States, Haiti and more than 40 other countries. [Find list of countries served by Clean the World on our website: http://localhost:8888/cleantheworld/saving-lives.asp]
• Since the Jan. 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Clean the World has distributed 1.5 million bars of soap to that island, including 300,000 since the cholera outbreak in late October.
• Clean the World services more than 700 hotel properties in 48 states and 9 provinces in Canada.

Our mission at Clean the World is simple, but profound. We are leading a “hygiene revolution” to stop the spread of preventable diseases by providing life-saving soap. But we couldn’t accomplish any of this without your help, and for that, we are forever grateful.

As many U.S. citizens celebrate Thanksgiving Day and people around the world prepare for Christmas and Channukah holidays, we all should give thanks for the many blessings we receive daily. While doing so, we need to realize that there are many others who are less fortunate, and who may benefit from our help at this time of year.

Each day around the world more than 9,000 children die from diseases that can be prevented through proper hand washing with soap. Our global mission to put soap in the hands of people who need it most will help ensure that in the future children have a chance to live healthy lives.

Clean the World has distributed more than 6 million bars of soap worldwide in less than two years. This would not be possible without the generosity and support of our hotel partners, fans and followers throughout the globe. And I want to take this time to thank you personally for your generosity.

Let’s give thanks to…

– Our more than 550 hotel partners in North America who provide the bulk of the soaps and bottled amenities that are distributed throughout the world. You are a tremendous resource for good and your dedication to corporate social responsibility should be admired and rewarded by guests who stay at your properties.

– Our global distribution partners, such as World Vision, Floating Doctors, and others who help deliver our soaps worldwide and personally place them in the hands of children and families who directly benefit from our hygiene revolution. May God bless your efforts always.

– Our volunteers who come to Clean the World and selflessly dedicated their time and talent to our mission. Girls Scout troops, Boy Scout troops, public and private schools; corporations, chambers of commerce, medical associations and meeting planners – we thank you all for your dedication to Clean the World and your advocacy of our programs far and wide.

– Our donors who continually send us soap in small and large quantities all with the best intentions in mind. Your painstaking efforts to collect and send soaps on our behalf keep us motivated and help support our hotel collection efforts in a very meaningful way that benefits children and families.

– Our Clean the World staff members, who through their own tireless dedication continually remind us all of that passion is priceless, especially in a “non-profit” environment.

– Special thanks to Diane Jaffari, who passed away recently. As a dedicated supporter of Clean the World she buoyed our spirits and cheered us on. In her memory, we have created a memorial page for her friends and family to make donations to Clean the World, something her son says “would make her immensely proud.” http://localhost:8888/cleantheworld/dianejaffari.asp.

– And to the countless supporters, Facebook followers and Twitter fans who continually spread the word about Clean the World and share our mission with people we may never meet via social media. We’re closer to you than you think. Thanks for keeping Clean the World on your mind and in your hearts. We couldn’t ask for anything more.

– And our financial donors who send us money online and via traditional mail to help support our soap recycling and distribution efforts. We hope you’ll continue to do so and encourage you to share this donation link with friends and family: http://localhost:8888/cleantheworld/donate-money.asp. Your generosity, particularly in the form of financial donations to Clean the world, will be richly rewarded when you realize the good your contribution will do:

$25 provides 85 children with soap for one month
$50 provides 170 children with soap for one month
$100 provides 340 children with soap for one month
$500 provides 1,700 children with soap for one month
$1000 provides 3,400 children with soap for one month

We recently filed our first IRS Form 990 which shows that more than 96 percent of your donations go directly toward the life-saving mission of Clean the World. That is well-above average for non-profit organizations, as we are doing all we can to streamline operations and maximize the benefits of your thoughtful gift.

So, thank you… all of you… for supporting Clean the World. We are empowered by your efforts and are strengthened by your passion.

Thank you for helping Clean the World.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Shawn Seipler

What have you done lately to help your neighbor?

At Clean the World, we take our responsibilities to our neighbors very seriously. We’re blessed to be able to grow an organization in central Florida, and we’re happy to expand our soap recycling mission around the globe. We’ve been fortunate enough to distribute our recycled soaps and bottled amenities to more than 30 countries worldwide, but we never lose sight of the needs of people in our own backyard.

July proved to be an explosive month for Clean the World.  We welcomed new partner properties at a record-breaking pace, expanded our operations throughout North America, and onboarded many noteworthy properties, including a rather exclusive property in south Florida. 

The potential impact of this effort is staggering. These 56 properties added in July equate to 6,757 rooms, each outfitted with plentiful soaps and shampoos for guests. These rooms provide more than 8,492 lbs. of discarded amenities, which now will be diverted from landfills due to our recycling efforts.  Also, by recycling the soaps from these rooms, nearly 5,188 needy children will have enough soap to keep themselves clean for an entire month. Now that’s cause for celebration!

Indianapolis, IN – Thursday, June 17, 2010 – Gilchrist & Soames today announced a three-year exclusive partnership with Orlando, Florida-based Clean the World, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to saving lives and preserving the environment through an innovative hotel amenities recycling program.

 “We have been in talks with Clean the World for quite a while, and our joint efforts during the aftermath of the January earthquake in Haiti really kicked things into gear for us,” said Kathie De Voe, president of Gilchrist & Soames. “We ultimately made the decision to formalize a long-term relationship.”

The strategic alliance with Gilchrist & Soames will help Clean the World realize their mission to prevent infant mortality in developing nations while also reducing environmental waste.

“We are thrilled to be working with Gilchrist & Soames. They have a deep commitment to the environment and to the life-saving mission of Clean the World. They will be invaluable in expanding our innovative recycling program through their partner hotels, and through their assistance, Clean the World is able to build out our network of Recycling Operation Centers (ROCs) for sanitizing and repacking partially used guest amenities,” said Shawn Seipler, co-founder of Clean the World Foundation. “Gilchrist & Soames is simply the right partner at the right time. We are grateful for their support.”

As part of the exclusive arrangement, Gilchrist & Soames is helping to fund the expansion of Clean the World’s infrastructure. Additionally, Gilchrist & Soames is afforded exclusive rights to offer Clean the World’s life-saving recycling program to hotels worldwide, which means that any hotel property can join the Clean the World program by contacting Gilchrist & Soames.

About Gilchrist & Soames
Gilchrist & Soames is a leading provider of cosmetic-grade toiletry collections for world-class hotels, exclusive resorts, and distinguished spas, inns, and bed & breakfasts. Specializing in servicing the luxury market, Gilchrist & Soames’ products can be found in discerning properties throughout the world. Gilchrist & Soames is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and Peterborough, London, England. The company is wholly-owned by Swander Pace Capital, San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.gilchristsoames.com.

As we continue to grow our Clean the World family, it’s nice to know that our hospitality partners are thinking of family, too.  And I’m talking specifically about Loews Miami Beach, where the combination of sun and Euro-trendiness draws visitors from all over the world.  The bonus at Loews is their love for kids, which is clear from the number of fun programs and amenities they offer families and with the adoption of Clean the World’s Hospitality Recycling Program, designed at delivering soap and other hygiene products to children across the globe.

At Loews Miami Beach, if you want to enjoy swimming in their oceanfront swimming pool, or maybe lounge in one of the private cabanas complete with plasma TVs and VIP privacy, you can rest easy knowing your children are having a blast at one of the supervised Kidbanas by the pool – including a brand new PBteen Cabana with decoration by Pottery Barn, creating the perfect teen lounge spot to listen to music or play the Nintendo Wii – or, perhaps your kids are enjoying a supervised recreational program or kids’ camp.  Loews offers Fisher-Price welcome gifts, lending libraries of games, special children’s menus with healthy options, and more.

But don’t think it’s all about the kids.  Loews Miami Beach has six restaurants and bars, including a restaurant by world-renowned Chef Emeril Lagasse.  Elemis Spa and Fitness Center offers 24 different treatments, including side-by-side couples massage rooms, a rooftop sun deck, Jacuzzi tubs, and a co-ed Calming Lounge, not to mention the personal training sessions, spinning, yoga, and Pilates classes – and let’s not forget the nonstop views of the tropical pool and Atlantic Ocean.

With all this, you’d think it would be hard to leave – and the luxury lounging available at Loews might make it that way – but don’t forget to get out and enjoy the Miami Seaquarium or the Vizcaya Museum Gardens, with 10 acres of relaxing beauty and an Italian Renaissance-style villa  – not to mention Miami Beach’s renowned restaurant and nightlife scenes.

Whatever your pick in Miami beach – sun and water, architectural beauty, people-watching, or cuisine indulgence – make sure you check out our friends at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.  It’s the perfect combination of stylish technology and fun for the whole family.

And what a fabulous edition such a spectacular hotel- Loews Miami Beach is now a parnter and commited to Clean the World!

And yet, these are the ‘lucky ones.’  Their countenances reflect the quiet solemnity of survival amidst the horrors of destruction.  They come to us, children from ages 2 to 11, elderly women, young men.  Quiet, dignified.  You can see in their eyes that they are thankful, regardless of their injuries.  And many come with extremities having already been amputated.

Our work in the hospital is stratified chaos.  We are continually trying to process and understand the nature of the injuries of the incoming individuals.  Xrays sometimes take over 24 hours to procure.  Triage determines the ability to take the most needy to surgery.  Equipment scarcity and time determine, in part, what we are able to accomplish. Finally, supplies arrived yesterday, and the dire need to innovate is not as acute.  External fixation of all fractures occurs quickly, debridement of wounds with large areas of skin and soft tissue loss, and infections require judgement to determine if the limbs can be saved.

We are absolutely innundated with patients, sent here as we are the largest hospital with functioning facilities in the country.  The people of this city of Milot have rallied to accommodate their bretheren.  The schoolyard across the street has been vacated to house the injured.  I went on rounds late last evening with a Haitian doctor from the hospital, to see our post operative patients and to assess those who had come in throughout the day.  In a room with a blackboard painted on the wall, where once were student desks and chairs, eight thick straw mats provided bedding for the injured.  IV’s were hung where once the hands of inquisitive students assuredly were raised.

My last evaluation of the evening was that of a 42 year old man whose story was all too familiar.  A wall had collapsed on his right leg where he remained trapped for two days.  He had just come to us yesterday afternoon. His leg was twice the size of the other, with blisters, and weeping wounds.  He had no sensation nor movement of his foot, and his leg was quite hard and tense.  It was obvious that he had what we call a compartment syndrome, where intense swelling occurs in a part of the leg. The pressure increases and prevents blood from entering the leg.  Slowly the muscles and nerves die if the pressure cannot be relieved with surgery.  Unfortunately, this did not occur, and his entire lower leg is effectively dead.  He will require an above knee amputation.  With further questioning, I learned that this gentleman is an accountant.

Do you know how difficult it is to achieve an advanced degree in this country, let alone any developing country?  At least, with the tragedy of losing a limb, he will be one of the absolute few who have some hope of overriding the sociocultural and fiscal devastation of an amputation and its subsequent disability.   He prayed that G_d wound protect him.

While writing this at 6am, just felt a 15 second tremor and shaking of the building housing us.  We are 90 miles from the epicenter!  Just heard there was no damage in Port au Prince

All for now.
Edward

PS-  Does anyone know whether rooster is more savory broiled or barbequed?  They leave me with only four hours of sleep each night.“