As part of its philanthropic efforts, NAIOP Arizona has fed almost 13,000 homeless people at the Human Service Campus near Downtown Phoenix and has raised thousands of dollars for Ryan House.
In 2013 NAIOP Arizona fed more than 10,000 homeless people as member firms volunteered on 12 Friday afternoons. Given the name “Dream Teams,” NAIOP Arizona members this year have fed almost 3,000 homeless people.
“One of our clients said, ‘It makes me feel like a Sunday BBQ at home with
my friends. I get to forget for an afternoon where I am and I am so thankful for the folks who give us that chance,’ ” said Margaret Kilman, Assistant Managing Director for HSC-Lodestar Day Resource Center.
“One of our staff members said the volunteers are always so excited to be here and it reminds us all why we do what we do every day. The folks we serve are so happy, too, and it is contagious,” Kilman said.
In 2010, NAIOP Arizona Chairman Todd Holzer said he felt it was necessary to make philanthropy a part of the group’s programming efforts. The board of directors approved the plan. In 2011, Chairman Mike Haenel continued the tradition with the help of the Developing Leaders.
“NAIOP Arizona created the ‘Dream Teams’ in 2013 to expand upon their feeding the homeless efforts,” said board member and 2013 Chairman Keaton Merrell. “Under (2014 Chairman) Megan Creecy-Herman’s leadership, the ‘Dream Teams’ continue with the goal of feeding another 10,000 homeless people.”
Another NAIOP Arizona philanthropic event is the Crawfish Boil. Formed by Chairman John DiVall in 2012, it raises money for Ryan House, which provides respite and palliative care to children with life-threatening conditions and, as needed, end-of-life care. The Crawfish Boil raised an estimated $10,000 this year.
NAIOP Arizona “Dream Team” members that have participated the past two years: Algodon Center, Atwell, Audio Video Resources, Butler Design Group, Capital Asset Management, Cassidy Turley, CBRE, American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., Colliers International, Corgan Associates; Cushman & Wakefield of Arizona, Deutsch Architecture Group, DIRTT Environmental Solutions, DLR Group, Erickson & Meeks Engineering, Hines, Balfour Beatty Construction, HSB, John F. Long Properties, JLL, Kraemer Consulting Engineers; Lawyers Title, LBA Realty, Legacy Capital Advisors, Liberty Property Trust, McCarthy Nordburg, McGrew Consulting Engineers, MW Real Estate, NAI Horizon, Phoenix Design One, PK Associates, Ryan Companies US, Security Title, Skanska, Small Business Finance; Small Giants, Smart Builders, Spectra Contract Flooring, Sperry Van Ness, The Alter Group, Transwestern, Tratt Properties, ViaWest Group, Ware Malcomb, Wells Fargo Bank, Whiting-Turner Contracting, and Willmeng Construction.