Sharing the good times with those who need help, the commercial property industry here has raised $3M this year for United Way Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. Nearly 1,100 people heard the good news at the recent United Way breakfast at the Westin Copley. The breakfast is one of the year's biggest events, and the fundraising tally is running ahead of prior years, says United Way’s Joyce Halkin.  

The nonprofit honored David Manfredi (above with New England Development CEO Steve Karp) and Howard Elkus of Elkus Manfredi Architects with its annual Norman B. Leventhal/Edwin N. Sidman Real Estate and Building Industry Leadership Award. Elkus Manfredi principals and staff have supported United Way since the firm’s inception 27 years ago. Interiors principal Elizabeth Lowery was a co-chair of last Thursday’s event with Boston Properties CFO Mike LaBelle, Moriarty's Finn O’Sullivan, and Newmark Grubb Knight Frank's Mark Roth.

Howard Elkus (right, with The Druker Co's Ron Druker) acknowledged that the city has been good to him and his staff: “Our job, our duty is to give back to those who are less fortunate—that's the brilliance of United Way." One in four working Massachusetts families doesn’t earn enough to make ends meet. Last year, through its Family Fund, United Way helped more than 7,000 households—about 26,000 individuals—with emergency assistance for food, fuel or housing costs. Over 22 years, the commercial real estate industry has donated more than $39M to United Way to help 375,000 families.