Join AAFCS members and FCS professionals around the world in highlighting the critical work done by Family and Consumer Sciences professionals to:

• Educate future hospitality and tourism professionals.
• Conduct research and drive innovation in hospitality and tourism.
• Build their own businesses in hospitality and tourism, work with hotels and facilities to coordinate events, catering, and other programming, and to give back to their communities.

In 2025, 9% of hotels surveyed reported experiencing severe shortages in qualified personnel to staff their sites.  This is due in part to gaps in career pathways, low pay and benefits, and the impact of the 2021 pandemic. The survey notes that 71% of hotels reported having job openings that they were unable to fill.

FCS professionals have the needed training and expertise to excel in these positions and support for FCS educational programming in hospitality and tourism can help to fill these labor gaps. 

Support for Family and Consumer Sciences educational programs and for FCS professionals is essential in addressing this employment crisis and ensuring the long-term success of both the FCS industry and businesses working within hospitality and tourism.

Resources:

About Family and Consumer Sciences

About FCS in Hospitality and Tourism: resource page, white paper

Mental Health Literacy Informational Flyer: one-page flyer

Template letter to send to legislators: Template letter

Draft Email Language to use:

Dear Legislator,

I am writing as a constituent and current family and consumer sciences professional to ask for your support for the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), FCS professionals, and FCS programs which support students in pursuing careers in hospitality and tourism. 

FCS Professionals work at all levels of K-12 education, post-secondary education, and community education including cooperative extension, and for business and industry, government, and health and human services. They serve as researchers, consumer experts, and a critical support system to communities. 

Your support for FCS will grow the employable workforce in areas such as hospitality and tourism, because FCS programs are a major source of future employees for businesses in hospitality and tourism. And our FCS professionals are leading innovation in this area through research, consumer studies, and innovative people-centered ideas. 
 

In support of Family and Consumer Sciences, I ask that you:

1. Support the inclusion of Family and Consumer Sciences education in K-12 career and technical education.
2. Support state licensure requirements that include FCS credentialing.
3. Encourage learners to attend FCS classes in K-12 and higher education.
4. Hire hospitality and tourism professionals  that have graduated from a recognized FCS college or university program.
5. Share AAFCS educational materials, informational flyers, and resources with your family, friends, and colleagues.

Thank you for your support, I look forward to hearing from you.

Next Steps:

Please use the action bar to your right to send a notice to your legislator or copy/paste the above template message into an email and send to your legislator. 

Please send your legislator the included template letter and include a personal story about your work in FCS.

Please share the AAFCS hospitality and tourism webpage and resources with your colleagues, friends, and family and encourage them to join us in support of Family and Consumer Sciences.