For 75 years, hostels have been providing us with more than just affordable lodgings. 

They give welcoming smiles in an unknown place – they host new friends to make and old friends to greet – they’re the best way to travel.  And our key hostels offer local programs for foreign and domestic travelers that present an unparalleled introduction to a community – from northern California’s exhilarating coastline to the upper west side allure of Manhattan.  

These opportunities provide us and our foreign guests a way to explore our country.  They celebrate our differences and honor our commonalities.  Hostels are giving back to our great nation.

And today, when the benefits of hostelling are greater than ever, Hostelling International USA is conducting a major campaign for significant support ($3 million over three years) to improve the hostel network, to enhance hostel programs, and to provide support for current needs.

Our greatest source of energy and commitment comes from those who have stayed in the hostels and know the importance of maintaining and strengthening the hostels.  Just as the hostels are there for you when you need them, we hope you will be there for the hostels now, when our potential is so exciting.

We’re looking for gifts at every level, and we’re proud to offer some nice tokens of our thanks!  If you can give $25, $50, $100, even $500, we’ll be grateful to have your support.  (And if your abilities are even greater than that, please consider us for an investment-level contribution!)  Please make your contribution in support of the Campaign for Hostelling.

If you have questions about the Campaign for Hostelling or need assistance with making a donation,
please contact Eva Dillon at 888-449-8727 or .

To find out more about local giving and volunteer opportunities, click here. 

Improve the hostel network

As times change, HI-USA changes with them.  In these uncertain financial times, the opportunity to stay at a hostel keeps travel accessible to those of limited means.

The Campaign for Hostelling is raising money specifically to improve and expand our hostel network.  Your generous support will help to fund three key projects:

A Better Hostel in Boston
The current hostel in Boston is outdated and far too small to meet the demand.  We need to build a new hostel in downtown Boston, and are planning a 375-bed facility (almost double the current size) that incorporates responsible state-of-the-art green technologies to reduce power usage.  The sale of the old property and other financing will cover most of the cost – but a $1 million funding gap remains.

A New Facility in Houston
The nation’s sixth-largest city is not yet served by an HI-USA hostel – but needs one!  Our market studies confirm the need for a 50-bed hostel to benefit individual travelers and school groups.  A generous bequest from long-time supporter Morty Rich puts us close to our goal, but we must also raise an additional $250,000 to open a Houston hostel.

Improvement Funds
Many hostels run lean – rarely charging more than the actual cost of providing lodging for guests.  So when repairs or improvements to a hostel are needed, the money can be hard to come by.  Our goal is to establish a fund that smaller and mid-sized hostels can rely on to ensure their facilities remain in good repair.  We need $100,000 immediately for basic capital improvements, and anticipate an additional $150,000 in the next two years.

Enhance hostel programs

Hostels are more than lodgings at a great price.  Every day, HI-USA and its councils deliver a range of programs under the umbrella title of Opening Doors, Opening Minds.  These popular programs provide unmatched opportunities to experience a community or a culture. Guests are delighted to delve into something new, and the programs enhance the mission of fostering greater understanding.

That’s why we’re raising money through the Campaign for Hostelling to ensure the reliable continuation of Opening Doors, Opening Minds and its important, popular programs – including:

Cultural Kitchen – Some hostels offer a unique collaborative program that teaches kids about different cultures.  It includes creating a meal authentic to the land they’ve been studying, which is shared with hostel visitors as a friendly connection with another culture.

World Travel 101 – Councils and hostels across the United States offer seminars that focus on safe, responsible, culturally sensitive travel.  Our goal is to create world citizens with an understanding of the close economic, environmental, and social relationships between people across the globe.

IOU Respect – We’ve joined with hostels in Egypt, France, Germany, Morocco, and Tunisia to bring young adults together in structured learning experiences to educate each other on their homelands and cultures.  We think respect and strong personal relationships are the foundations for lasting peace.

Provide support for current needs

From staff salaries to utilities bills, the annual budgets of the hostels (and of HI-USA itself) are carefully managed to ensure we get the maximum benefit from every dollar.  Our commitment to efficiency and affordability is the bedrock principle of everything we do.

But rising costs and a tight economy take their toll, and it is clear that HI-USA must raise funds to be used for basic operational needs in order to maintain our commitment to quality and accessibility.  Much of these needs can most efficiently be met through the strengthening of the HI-USA endowment, the proceeds of which are used for future organizational needs – new hostels in important locations, outreach programs for young people, leadership training for volunteers, and more.

In addition, HI-USA provides ongoing annual support for its local councils, to ensure that they can continue to maintain the on-the-ground spirit of hostelling in communities nationwide.

With Our Thanks...

In thanks for your donation:

For gifts of $75 and more:

Our handsome poster by artist David Moore.  It honors the history of hostelling, which was built largely by men and women on bicycling tours who appreciated hostels for their friendly welcome, excellent value, and opportunity to make new friends and increase understanding.

For gifts of $1,000 and more:

Our commemorative seal series by artist David Moore, in full and vibrant color – matted and ready for framing.  The artwork, specially created for our 75th anniversary, honors our proud three-quarters of a century of providing opportunity and involvement along with affordable lodgings for all who seek to explore this amazing nation.  Among the collection are images of our popular hostels in Nantucket, New York City, and Point Montara, California. It’s a designer touch for your home, and demonstrates your exceptional commitment to hostelling.

For gifts of $2,500 and more:

A signed, limited-edition print of the bicyclists from our commemorative seal sheet.  Artist David Moore creates these prints (11” x 14”) just for us, as a way to offer a special thank you for exceptional support. 

Please allow 4 weeks for delivery.  Quantities are limited, so please don’t delay!

Chapter Partners

We are proud to recognize the partnership of local HI-USA councils and clubs that are part of the Campaign for Hostelling.  As the faces of hostelling across the nation, our local volunteers and staff maintain our spirit of welcome, inclusion and exploration.  Find out more about local giving and volunteer opportunities by contacting the participating council in your area: