It has been heartbreaking to watch Hurricane Harvey devastate Houston and the Gulf Coast with record amounts of rainfall and an unimaginable path of wreckage. So many have lost their homes, businesses and loved ones. Though the heaviest rains are over, the clean-up and rebuilding efforts are just beginning.
The hurricane hit home for us. Three of Trademark’s properties, Rice Village, La Palmera, and Market Street – The Woodlands, are in Houston and Corpus Christi. We want to be there to support these communities, along with countless others in surrounding areas.
As a stakeholder-model company driven by a guiding principle of “Make a Difference,” we are compelled to give back to these communities in their greatest time of need. We have already heard so many inspiring stories about how our employees and partners are donating their time, money and resources to Hurricane Harvey victims. In Dallas, one Victory Park tenant loaded up her car and drove donations down to Houston. And, in Houston, Rice Village has partnered with its restaurants to deliver more than 5,500 meals to local shelters and organizations.
Inspired by these stories, along with thousands of volunteers from across the country, we are activating our entire portfolio of mixed-use developments across the country to support storm relief efforts by donating to the United Way. We are fundraising as a company, and our properties have launched fundraisers in their local markets, bringing together tenants, financial partners, customers, and the community.
Donations will be distributed to local United Way chapters in areas impacted by the storm to provide support for recovery efforts and to meet the needs of evacuees seeking shelter and long-term assistance. All general and administrative fees have been waived, ensuring that 100 percent of individual donations will go toward on-the-ground efforts.
As a part of our company’s Make a Difference initiative, we have committed to match up to $150,000 in donations. In addition, one of our financial partners, La Palmera owner Miller Capital, has pledged to match up to $50,000 in donations raised through La Palmera efforts. In the wake of such devastation, we are so proud to see our Trademark community coming together to help those impacted by the storm.
Trademark’s Make a Difference initiative encourages community service at all levels of our company. Employees and properties serve through volunteerism, Conscious Place initiatives, and property-level efforts year-round, but never has it been more important than now to offer hope and help when it is needed most.
We are inspired by the support and determination we are seeing across Texas, and we will work alongside you to help those battered by this storm. Thank you for joining us in this important effort.
To donate, visit app.mobilecause.com/vfu/HARVEYHELP or by texting HARVEYHELP to 30306.