ESTO Cares 2025
Since 2015, ESTO Cares has been an annual tradition rooted in community, compassion and connection—offering attendees a meaningful way to give back to the local community. For the past decade, this volunteer-led initiative has been organized and hosted by the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) Alumni and is one of the most rewarding ways to kick off your ESTO experience.
In celebration of 10 years of ESTO Cares, at ESTO 2025 we are partnering with Valley of the Sun United Way to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central & Northern Arizona by assembling travel-themed care packages. This year’s initiative, Travel Care Packages for a Cause, is designed to offer comfort, encouragement and practical support to families navigating difficult times—while giving ESTO attendees a moment to pause, connect and create meaningful impact together.
Start your ESTO with purpose
Join us Sunday morning for a live, hands-on volunteer event from 8:30–10:00 a.m. Coffee will be available at 7:30 a.m., and registration opens at 7:45 a.m.
Come for the camaraderie. Stay for the impact.
Unable to attend in person? You can still join the cause by making a donation through the “Friends of ESTO” ticket option.
Through the Years
| Year | Location | Activity |
| 2024 | Columbus, OH | Packing and organizing materials for FESTA. |
| 2023 | Savannah, GA | Packing materials for the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. |
| 2022 | Grand Rapids, MI | Packing literacy kits for Heart of West Michigan United Way. |
| 2021 | Los Angeles, CA | Packing hygiene kits for Los Angelinos experiencing homelessness in partnership with LA Works. |
| 2020 | CANCELED | ESTO 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. |
| 2019 | Austin, TX | Packing food for distribution at the Central Texas Food Bank. |
| 2018 | Phoenix, AZ | Packing food kits to be shipped overseas in partnership with Feed My Starving Children. |
| 2017 | Minneapolis, MN | Clearing crown vetch from the banks of the Mississippi at historic Mill Ruins Park. Event was rained out, but funds were raised for the city parks. |
| 2016 | Boca Raton, FL | Beach litter clean up at Spanish River Park to protect sea turtle hatching habitats in partnership with Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. |
| 2015 | Portland, OR | Clearing construction debris from the banks of the Willamette River. |
