Dreaming Big: North Texas CRE Unites To Support Children With Critical Illnesses
For over four decades, nonprofit organization Make-A-Wish has been connecting children with long-term or life-threatening illnesses with an experience or possession of their choosing in the form of a “wish.” Children can wish to become a firefighter for a day, obtain the latest technology for playing computer or video games, or get a new dog. Make-A-Wish enlists the help of Wish Makers, who can donate their money or time to grant wishes.
Bisnow has partnered with Make-A-Wish North Texas through its Wishmakers At Work corporate partnership program, which enables companies to participate in fundraising or volunteering initiatives to support the nonprofit’s mission and impact — providing children and families with a sense of normalcy and hope to help them face the hardships of their illness and care.
“A wish is much more than just a nice thing, and its reach extends far beyond a single event or moment in time,” said Make-A-Wish North Texas Chief Development Officer Murphey Sears. “Wish kids, parents, medical professionals and volunteers say that wish experiences can permanently change the lives of everyone involved. When a wish is granted, it sends a ripple effect through everyone the wish involves.”
On March 6, Bisnow gathered CRE investors, developers, brokers and more for its annual Dallas State of the Market event, where, in addition to discussing trends and opportunities in the region, Bisnow introduced a Wishmakers At Work three-way fundraising competition between Bisnow, property tax consultancy Meritax Advisors and CRE company Holt Lunsford Commercial. Within three weeks, these organizations collectively raised $42K, which will be allocated toward granting wishes in the Dallas area.
Bisnow will continue its partnership with Make-A-Wish North Texas for three more events.
“CRE has the reach, resources and relationships to drive meaningful change,” Holt Lunsford Commercial Managing Principal Brian Wilson said. “Philanthropy is meant to bring our industry together and strengthen our ties to the communities we serve.”
Sears said that 1,134 children in North Texas have wishes that need to be granted. Meritax Advisors Partner Ryan Chismark, who serves on Make-A-Wish’s governing board, was among the innovators of the Wishmakers At Work initiative, she said.
Chismark approached Bisnow with the idea to fundraise for Make-A-Wish North Texas, with Bisnow using its platform to showcase the fundraiser. He brought in Wilson to compete.
He said that CRE companies have a responsibility to engage with the communities they’re part of and can contribute to granting wishes that involve tapping into their expertise.
“We have seen a large uptick in wishes at home; since many wish kids are immunocompromised, they cannot travel to places like Disney and as a result, backyard makeovers become a wish of choice,” he said. “The construction of playgrounds, sports courts, pools and handicap-accessible play spaces are a huge opportunity for commercial real estate professionals to contribute to the magic of a wish.”
Wilson added that both Make-A-Wish and the broader CRE industry share a goal of enhancing their communities, and CRE is well-positioned to get involved in philanthropy.
“As brokers, developers and property managers, we’re uniquely positioned to leverage our networks, resources and platforms to rally support,” he said. “Many wishes — like room makeovers, play spaces or travel-related logistics — can be granted more efficiently with help from CRE professionals who understand space, access and coordination.”
When it came to fundraising, Meritax Advisors took a “grassroots” approach, splitting its employees into pairs and raising money through group texts, social media, LinkedIn and emails, Chismark said.
“For us, the biggest surprise was how quickly the donations added up,” he said. “We were all pleasantly surprised by the generosity of our clients, peers, friends and families.”
Wilson said that Holt Lunsford Commercial reached out to its team by holding meetings and communicating via email, encouraging them to spread the word about Make-A-Wish’s mission to their networks.
“It gave our team a tangible way to support an impactful mission while engaging our industry peers in something bigger than business,” he said. “We approached fundraising like a team project: setting goals, creating friendly rivalries and celebrating progress. The personal nature of the cause made it easy for our team to get behind the effort.
Chismark said that CRE professionals can start their philanthropy efforts at any point in their professional lives, not just when they are career veterans. Make-A-Wish is a worthy cause because of how many people can support the mission of “giving hope to kids who are sick.”
Sears said she hopes people come away from this initiative having learned about how they can help children with illnesses in their communities.
“So many people are looking for ways to make an impact but don’t know where to start,” she said. “This program is simple and turnkey, and allows you to make an immediate, tangible and lasting impact on children and families living their worst nightmare. It takes a large community effort to grant wishes, and anyone and their teams can do it.”
This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Make-A-Wish North Texas. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
