Dallas’ Commercial Real Estate Industry Gathers Again to Support Nonprofits
All executives in the business world have had to make changes to their organizations in order to survive and thrive during the ongoing pandemic.
John Riggins, Talley Riggins
Like other industries, construction companies are facing challenges including supply chain disruptions, rapidly rising material costs and labor shortages. Dealing with these problems requires skillful orientation, determination and cooperation, as well as a deep appreciation for the opportunities we have been given.
The nonprofit industry is particularly hard hit, as are families, children, seniors, the disabled, veterans, homeless and numerous others who rely on the volunteer work and services of these organizations.
According to the Texas Nonprofit Leaders COVID-19 Impact Report published in December 2020, nonprofits reduced the services they rendered by 35 percent, mainly due to the steep decline in individual donations (-68.5 percent) in service fee income (-68.3 percent). , Grants (-58.2 percent), non-individual donations (-56.3 percent) and grant processing (-34.7 percent).
Many nonprofits are supported through annual and intermittent fundraising drives that had to be canceled during the pandemic. Services were interrupted, delayed or restricted. Volunteer and paid workers encountered communication and technological problems in reaching those they wanted to serve. Fortunately, the pandemic is increasingly under control, and many of these nonprofits can resume fundraising campaigns – and resume their much-needed services to our communities.
The Talley Riggins team at the Metrocrest Services Golden Gala.
Important fundraising events in the commercial real estate industry are also taking place again. In June this year, the Talley Riggins team had a great time with family, friends and colleagues at the TouchDown Club’s annual BBQ Rib and Appetizer Cook-off, which benefited the Ashford Rise School of Dallas, an early childhood education program for children with developmental disabilities. This year’s event raised more than $ 200,000. I am proud to be a co-founder of Cook-off and to sit on the board of The Touchdown Club, which has grown from 30 like-minded supporters to over 300 members.
At the end of September, our team took part in the FightNight 2021 of the Texas Real Estate Council. This year’s theme “The Comeback” reflected the mood of the 1,400 guests who met up with friends they hadn’t seen in person for over a year. The event raised more than $ 1.6 million for TREC community investors dedicated to providing support and jobs to underserved communities.
The Talley Riggins team also attended the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center’s Aim for Advocacy, Clays for Camps for Child Health, and the Metrocrest Services Golden Gala. We are grateful for the opportunity to support these and other organizations so that they can continue to provide important services.
As business leaders, we need to worry about the impact of limited services to those in need on our communities. Non-profit organizations are vital partners in business and play a vital role, for example by lifting people out of poverty and giving them a voice, jobs, a new purpose and a better life.
So what can we do We can organize contributions. We can use our voices as advocates. We can show our employees the importance of supporting nonprofit organizations of their choice. We can provide business advice and volunteering to our partners. We can influence policymakers to involve nonprofits in their relief efforts. And we can support fundraisers by attending in person and meeting the people who are giving their time and money to create a stronger and safer community for all of us.
John Riggins is the President of the Talley Riggins Construction Group.