Shaping Our Community Through Innovation & Determination: Corporate Real Estate & Philanthropy
“Effective philanthropy requires a lot of time and creativity – the same kind of focus and skills that building a business requires.”
-Bill Gates
Co-Founder, Microsoft, Co-Chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
As business leaders in the Greater Toronto Area, we recognize the importance of supporting our community. Now more than ever, people want to know that they are committing to a company that is doing some good in the world, that is not focused exclusively on increasing corporate profits. In fact, as millennials are entering the workforce, it is more apparent that it’s about more than just doing good work in the office, it’s about doing good work in the community. People want to work with community-minded business leaders who use their positions to grow awareness and support for small charities.
And so, as a team and as active members of the Greater Toronto Area community, we are excited to work with and support local charities.
Behaving Boldly to support our community
As leading advisors in the corporate real estate industry, we truly believe it is prudent to challenge the norm. John Adams, CEO of Primerica Canada, is correct in stating that we have all had someone who has helped us on the way up in our lives and careers, and now it is our turn to leverage our abilities and resources to help others.
It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine of working hard to grow our own successes. We have taken bold action to give our time, energy and commitment to support small, local charities and encourage others in the corporate real estate industry — our colleagues, peers and competitors — to do the same.
Cushman & Wakefield GTA were the proud leading sponsors and hosts of the 8th Annual Men Behaving Boldly event in support of the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation in 2015. Men Behaving Boldly is dedicated to educating and inspiring men in the GTA to stand up and act to transform the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and youth in the region.
Watch the video to learn more about Men Behaving Boldly
2015 was a milestone year for Men Behaving Boldly as it truly demonstrated true community support with 175 commercial real estate professionals, clients and key influencers in the GTA gathered in support of the Peel Children’s Aid Foundation, raising approximately $50,000, contributing to a total donation of approximately $200,000.
As Glenn Way stated in the above video, a small amount of energy by many people makes a really big difference. We are proud to be a part of the movement to make a difference, acting boldly in our leadership roles to support community charities in the GTA.
I’m fortunate to chair the Men Behaving Boldly and stand tall with my peers noted below that make such a positive impact in the community. I look forward to watching these events closely in the years to come:
Additional Community Events by Corporate Real Estate Leaders
Hold’em for Life Charity Challenge
Founded by, Andrew Hoffman President of Centre Court Developments and Tony Reale, director of BMO Capital Markets, the real estate industry’s Hold’em for Life is an annual charity event that gathers real estate industry leaders together for an evening of fundraising to fund cancer research and other initiatives at Mount Sinai Hospital, SickKids Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Princess Margaret Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The volunteer-run organization has raised over $18 million.
Reel n’ Deal Bass Fishing Derby and Poker Tournament
Founded by David Bergeron, Cushman & Wakefield Toronto West’ Managing Director, formerly Senior Asset Manager with GWL Realty Advisors chairs Reel n’ Deal is also in its 8th year. This event is MS Society’s largest third party fundraiser in Canada, having raised over $480,000 since 2008.
Swing for the Cure
Founded by, Kevin Hardy, Senior Vice President of DREAM REIT and Glenn Way, Senior Vice President of Asset Management, GWL. In its eighth year, Swing for cure is collectively hosted and supported by corporate real estate firms in the GTA, bringing landlords, designers, tech firms, brokerages, engineers and trades together in generosity. This event has raised a total of $325,000 for the Credit Valley Hospital’s capital cancer campaign.
In its eighth year, Swing for cure is collectively hosted and supported by corporate real estate firms in the GTA, bringing landlords, designers, tech firms, brokerages, engineers and trades together in generosity. This event has raised a total of $325,000 for the Credit Valley Hospital’s capital cancer campaign.