REBNY Fellows Trade Office Work for Community Service at Veterans Hospital
Real estate professionals from the Real Estate Board of New York swapped their desks for garden tools at the Fisher House Foundation located at the James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center in the Bronx. The REBNY Fellows participated in a civic day of service focused on hands-on community work.
The event reflects a broader industry trend where commercial real estate leaders dedicate time to charitable causes beyond their primary business operations. The Fisher House Foundation provides housing and support services for military families and veterans undergoing medical treatment, making it a natural fit for the profession's outreach efforts.
For real estate professionals, civic engagement activities like this serve multiple purposes. They strengthen community ties in neighborhoods where firms operate and develop, build team morale among staff, and enhance corporate reputation within the broader industry. The Bronx, where the medical center sits, has seen increasing real estate investment and development activity in recent years, making community goodwill particularly valuable.
The REBNY Fellows program itself targets younger or emerging professionals within the real estate sector, offering networking, educational opportunities, and professional development alongside civic responsibilities. Service days create bonding experiences while supporting local institutions that lack consistent funding from other sources.
For veterans and military families receiving care at the facility, volunteer support translates directly into improved services and maintained grounds. The Fisher House model depends heavily on private sector contributions and volunteer labor to sustain operations and maintain the quality environment residents require during medical crises.
This type of engagement also positions commercial real estate as a community stakeholder rather than purely profit-driven. In markets where neighborhood opposition to development projects runs high, demonstrated commitment to local welfare can smooth regulatory approval processes and community board negotiations.
The event underscores how real estate professionals contribute beyond transactions and project development. Active participation in community service builds social capital that benefits both the organizations served and the professionals' own career development within a relationship-