At FirstService Residential in Nevada, our team members live and work in the communities we serve. As local residents, we are guided by our ethics and sense of community, and believe that it is our responsibility to lend a hand – or more – when people need assistance. Both as a company and as individuals, we support worthy non-profit organizations in our local communities and have adopted several local social causes and community partners. We are proud that our philanthropic spirit continues grows with the participation of our team members and communities.
One example of how we strive to enhance the quality of life for residents of our communities is through our Operation Benevolent Heart program. Each month, we invite board members to suggest members of their communities who are experiencing hardship and need our financial support – everything from assisting in landscaping costs, to crediting assessment fees, to building a handicapped access ramp. We select one individual per month to assist with their current circumstances.
Corporate-wide, we also provide immediate help when disaster strikes. For example, in late 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused unprecedented damage to cities and properties along the east coast, including approximately 200 communities managed by FirstService Residential New York and FirstService Residential New Jersey, our affiliated companies.
Within a few days, FirstService Residential created a $10 million emergency Hurricane Recovery Fund to begin immediate repairs before insurance claims were finalized. Thanks to this direct funding, several hundred residents and family members were able to begin the recovery process and start returning to their daily lives.