Philanthropy

Betsy Philanthropy

The Betsy is a socially conscious business with a 21st Century commitment to helping neighbors locally, nationally and internationally.

By linking good work with core business goals, The Betsy is redefining community partnership in a model that reflects a new 21st Century social contract: citizens actively and effectively serving their communities as central to their business vision and goals, believing in the power of community-conscious programming.

In its first two years since opening after a floor to ceiling restoration, Betsy Philanthropy initiatives have embraced more than 200 different service organizations.

The Betsy has been recognized by the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association for a commitment to community with awards in 2011 and 2012.

"When we started doing the hotel, we felt strongly — both as a business and a personal matter — that the hotel establish itself as a philanthropic charitable force." - Betsy Chairman, Jonathan Plutzik

Rooms for Change, 2009
Citizen Hoteliers, 2009

"With a facade that harkens back to F. Scott Fitzgerald... The Betsy regularly hosts poetry readings in a variety of events that are as diverse as the South Beach Crowd." - Miami.CBSLocal

Betsy Philanthropic Programs and Partnerships include:

Zara's Center for AIDS Impacted Children in Zimbabwe
2009 USA Tour of performing artist Prudence Mahbena and Liyana
2010 Veteran's Day Homage, "Nothing Can Be Done, But Something Can Be Said"
University of Wynwood O, Miami Host Hotel, 2011, 2012 and 2013
2011 Holocaust Education Project, partnered with HK Law
Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Symposium, 2010, 2011 and 2012
John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
Miami Dade County Public Schools and New Education Initiatives Foundation
Dranoff 2 Piano International Competition Host Hotel

VIEW OUR CURRENT ARTS CALENDAR

The Writer’s Room at the Betsy

Literature is the cornerstone of arts programming at The Betsy South Beach with a legacy rooted in the work of the late poet Hyam Plutzik (1911-1962), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and father of Chairman, Jonathan Plutzik. Each room at the hotel has a small library of poetry and other books, and a poetry bookmark is placed on each guest’s pillow every night.

The Writer’s Room is a further expression of our commitment to the arts.
At the official opening event during National Poetry Month, April, 2012,
Special guests included former United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins,
New York University Creative Writing Professor Thomas Healy, FIU Creative
Writing Chair Les Standiford, emerging NY-based poet Melissa Broder,
MacArthur Award-winning poet Campbell McGrath, and O, Miami &
University of Wynwood founder, P. Scott Cunningham. The purpose of the
Writer’s Room is to create a very special place on South Beach for writers and
other creative artists, where they can find the tranquility and
inspiration needed to do their best work.

To see our schedule of Writers in Residence and to learn more, visit our
blog at http://BetsyWritersRoom.com.

After its official opening in April 2012, the Writer’s Room has so far hosted numerous writers—poets, novelists, journalists, playwrights among them— during which these writers have presented readings of their work, published or in-progress. The Betsy Hotel makes the room available to visiting artists and writers working a wide variety of domains and disciplines, at many project stages, but with a hyper-focus on poets during final-stage efforts.

The Betsy is a South Beach hotel with a unique mission to foster community while providing a luxury hotel experience. Our principal vehicle for building community is programming in Philanthropy, Arts, and Culture.

Read more about The Writer's Room, and many of our Resident Writers, at our blog, TheWritersRoomatTheBetsy.com

HONORING VETS

In 2009, The Betsy-South Beach partnered with The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus to pay homage to those who serve by interviewing Veterans, to explore the role Miami Beach played in our Nation's history at wartime. The film premiered at The Betsy on Veterans' Day, November 11, 2010.

Our message to all Veterans: "You Are Not Alone."

Downloads: (1 page PDF overviews of PAC Programs at TBH)

REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT: The Betsy does NOT accept unsolicited requests of support for nonprofit causes. However, the Betsy accepts requests for in-kind donations from organizations operating in arenas including but not limited to education, human rights, conservation, global understanding, and youth programs. For more information, contact Jean Villamizar, Manager for Marketing & Philanthropy at Jean@thebetsyhotel.com