CRE GIVES BACK
Reason for the season
Companies, employers step up charitable efforts in time for the holidays By DAVID MCGLOTHLIN
T
he season for giving runs year-round for many in the commercial real estate industry. There are countless different ways that companies and employees give back to communities throughout the year from fundraisers and drives to inkind donations for local charities. This time of year brings with it, added seasonal efforts such as charity toy and food drives for the holiday season. Commercial real estate companies, associations and foundations are partnering with nonprofits across the Valley to get a better sense of how to utilize its own resources and skill set to serve charities' needs. On top of regularly planned drives, fundraisers and in-kind donation projects, these groups aim to provide others with some holiday cheer. Whether it’s a hot Thanksgiving meal, unwrapping presents on Christmas or simply some friendly
28 | November-December 2016
conversation, the holidays are a time to give back. CBRE — one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world — organizes numerous charitable efforts through its Phoenix division each year. One of the firm’s signature events is Angel Tree, an annual Christmas toy drive for children at the Warner A. Gabel Branch of Boys & Girls Club. The Arizona Builders Alliance — association of Arizona builders and contractors with 280-plus member companies — coordinates four to five major events each year for charity, says Joshua Marriott, VDC engineer/ estimator at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. ABA’s largest event is its annual Christmas Toy Drive. For the last four years, Marriott has served as the ABA community outreach committee chair overseeing entire drive from
outreach to gift-wrapping and delivery of the presents. For the past three years, Marriott says, the drive generated an average of $100,000 to buy toys, clothes and electronics. The gifts get loaded into semi-trucks and delivered to Sunshine Group Homes, which operates more than 40 group homes across Maricopa County for kids under the supervision of Child Protective Services. The toy drive is estimated to impact 1,000-plus kids through its efforts. “It’s a small thing that we can do to give that joy to them over the holidays and make them feel like they are part of a normal family and that they’re loved,” Marriott adds. In addition to the ABA Toy Drive, he participates in a smaller toy drive for Sunshine Acres with his company along with some of some other contracting companies in the Valley for Sunshine Acres, which is also organized by ABA.