Communities In Schools And Hudson Celebrate 15-Year Philanthropy Milestone

Hudson Has Raised More Than $5 Million Through Point-Of-Sale Donations At Airport And Transportation Hub Retail Locations

Arlington, VA and East Rutherford, NJ, June 29, 2023 – Communities In Schools (CIS ®), the nation’s leading provider of integrated student supports, and travel experience company Hudson, a Dufry AG (SIX: DUFN) company, are celebrating the success of their longstanding partnership, reaching a lifetime giving milestone of $5 million.  

Since 2008, Hudson has leveraged its extensive presence in airports and transportation hubs to raise funds on behalf of CIS. What started as collecting loose change from customers at store registers, evolved into investments that helped CIS empower more than a million students to succeed each year.     

With the support of Hudson’s philanthropy, CIS has grown from serving 1.3 million students in 2008 to 1.8 million today. Additionally, 120,000 high school seniors have graduated with Communities In Schools since the partnership started.  

Hudson’s contributions are distributed at the national and local level -- supporting 28 affiliates in communities where Hudson operates. Funds allocated toward the CIS National Office support the growth and stability of the national enterprise, while local funding raised in retail stores helps further programming and the work of student supports coordinators in local schools within that state.  

“We thank Hudson and its team members nationwide for investing in the mission of Communities In Schools over the past fifteen years,” said Rey Saldaña, national president and CEO of Communities In Schools. “The philanthropic partnership of Hudson and their customers has helped increase the impact of CIS, reaching an additional 500,000 students and providing them critical resources and relationships with caring adults, ensuring that all kids have what they need to succeed in school and in life.” 

“It’s incredible to see how our partnership with Communities In Schools has grown and evolved over the years. This fundraising milestone is a testament to the generosity of our travelers and the commitment of our team members to bring awareness to the important work that Communities In Schools does,” said Hope Remoundos, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Hudson. “Together, we’re helping to create equitable access to education and empower the next generation of students.” 

The partnership between CIS and Hudson exemplifies the collective impact of leadership, store managers, and customers, especially as Hudson continues to prioritize giving back to the communities it serves as part of its Destination 2027 strategy. The bold vision for Communities In Schools today includes ensuring every Title I eligible public school incorporates integrated student supports (ISS) to meet the complex needs (e.g., basic, social, emotional, physical, mental health, family, academic) of students, especially those of color and students living in poverty.  

With multi-year investments from partners like Hudson, Communities In Schools is positioned to scale their proven model to an additional 2,000 new schools by 2032 for a total of 6,000 schools or double their current footprint.

About Communities In Schools   

Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside in over 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Stay connected with Communities In Schools by visiting https://www.communitiesinschools.org/ or following our social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

About Hudson

Hudson, a Dufry Company (SIX: DUFN), is a travel experience company turning the world of travel into a world of opportunity by being the Traveler’s Best Friend in more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist locations. Our team members care for travelers as friends at our travel convenience, specialty retail, duty free and food and beverage destinations. At the intersection of travel and retail, we partner with landlords and vendors, and take innovative, commercial approaches to deliver exceptional value. To learn more about how we can make your location a travel destination, please visit us at hudsongroup.com or follow our journey on LinkedIn and Instagram.

For further information, please contact:

Communities In Schools Media Contact 

Whitney Faison
[email protected]

Hudson Media Contact

Cindi Buckwalter
[email protected]m