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By Matt Rogatz

President of AIRE

With an economy in a deep recession and many people struggling just to get by, the Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers (AIRE) has made it a priority in 2010 to give back to those less fortunate.

Members of the Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers (AIRE) donated time and talent on October 6, 2010 to Chicago’s Hull House and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago through their Help Ease Local Poverty (HELP) event by purchasing, preparing and serving dinner to 130 needy men and women. AIRE members volunteer in the community at least four times a year. Volunteering from brokerage firms Newmark Knight Frank Epic, Paine/Wetzel and Chicago Industrial Real Estate were (front row, l. to r.) Joe Karmin, Adam Schneiderman, Terri Alexander, Denise Chaimovitz, John Coleman, Nancy Russell and John Joyce; (back row, l. to.r.) Mike Nelson, Mark Nelson and Matt Rogatz (AIRE President).

This year will be AIRE’s 10^th annual “Thanks for Giving” drive with donations going to the Jane Addams Hull House.  In 1889 the Jane Addams Hull House Association was founded to improve social conditions for underserved people and communities by providing creative, innovative programs and advocating for related public policy reforms.  Hull House has become one of Chicago’s oldest and largest social and human service agencies.  In the past five years alone, AIRE members have contributed over $10,000 in monetary donations and hundreds of bags of food.

AIRE has also been a big supporter of Toys for Tots since 1997.  The Toys for Tots program was created to collect new, unwrapped toys each year and distribute those toys as gifts to needy children in the community.   Each December at the AIRE Holiday Party, US Marines are on hand to assist with collections.  In the past five years, members have donated over $20,000 and thousands of toys.

In addition to giving food, toys, and money, AIRE has begun providing opportunities for members to donate their time for various charities.

One of the volunteering events AIRE participated in this year was for Vital Bridges.  Vital Bridges was created to help people impacted by HIV and AIDS improve their health and build self-sufficiency by providing food, nutrition, housing, case management and prevention services throughout the metropolitan Chicago area.  A group of 13 AIRE members donated time one Saturday morning to sort canned food products, which were then distributed to food pantries in Chicago.

Another event AIRE members participated in was the Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon event on June 12^th.  The Serve-a-thon takes place on the second Saturday every June, and is the largest fundraiser for Chicago Cares.  Chicago Cares encourage teams of volunteers to come together and participate in a day of service benefiting Chicago Public Schools while raising donations to support Chicago Cares’ work in communities across Chicago all year long.  The AIRE volunteers met at Soldier Field for check-in and a morning rally before boarding a bus to the Sabin Magnet School in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago.  Volunteers painted the school hallways and completed various outdoor landscaping duties.  This was the second year the association volunteered for this event.

Most recently, 12 AIRE members participated in the “Help Ease Local Poverty” (HELP) program.  HELP provides 130 meals every Wednesday evening to disadvantaged and homeless individuals in the community at the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.  On October 6^th the meals were donated by AIRE and volunteers were responsible for setting tables, food preparation, serving the food, and clean up.  In addition to being served a nutritious meal, guests could also visit with doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers and sign up for drug rehabilitation, job training programs, homeless shelters and literacy tutoring.

AIRE members have been extremely fortunate to be able to not only give food, toys, and money to the less fortunate but also their time.  It has been a very fulfilling year for many of our members and we look forward to giving back to the community in the coming years!

Tags | AIRE, Chicago, industrial

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