BRES Banding Together To Make a Difference

Banding together as a company to give back to the community is a vital component in helping enhance and build rapport within your community. In Property Management, we are in a never-ending position to create and maintain solid, long-term relationships with not only our Tenants, but the community in which we work. For Block Real Estate Services, (BRES) this is nearly every community throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan area and growing still. We value and take pride in our jobs every day and are always looking for ways to improve on our services to be ready to assist and contribute to our community...

Developing strong relationships with local government, police and fire personnel is just one of the many ways we can enhance the property management and tenant experience. With an industrial portfolio of over 1.4 million SF in Platte County alone, many opportunities have presented themselves to partner with Riverside Police Department. Since early 2008, BRES has assisted both the SWAT and K-9 divisions with new challenging locations for training opportunities. 



It all started with a couple of bored K-9’s! They needed something different and Riverside being a small community, they were out of new spaces to explore. This opportunity has not only strengthened our relationships with our emergency providers but we also demonstrate our community involvement to our tenants.

This is how we became friends with Jeff Taylor and his K-9 Partner, Flash, of the Riverside Police Department. Jeff Taylor was struck and killed by lightning while conducting search and rescue operations in the aftermath of the 2011 Joplin tornado.  Jeff represents thousands of men and women that risk their lives every day to protect the communities that we live in. Through his tragic accident Jeff Taylor Run was created. Proceeds from this event go to the Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment ("SAFE"), a non-profit program managed by the Kansas City Crime Commission that provides benefits to the families of fire fighters, law enforcement officials and EMS personnel that perish in the line of duty.

According to Inc., there are many ways that businesses and their employees can get involved with community service endeavors that are as fulfilling to your business and the community as the Jeff Taylor Run:

• Donate what you can’t use: Businesses in almost every industry end up with unused or obsolete products or services.
• Teach: You can teach an organization on how to maintain its commercial real estate improvements or best green practices.
• Fund-raise as a team: Working together within the workplace can help build morale and increase shared purpose within your team
• Participate in fundraising events: Your organization could have an auction to raise money. Organization might gain a long-term customer or client through your fundraising event.
• Create a win-win partnership: Work with other organization interested in your charity or cause.
• Use your organizational leverage to draw attention to a charity or cause: Your organization can offer testimonials, offer to speak at an event or offer to serve as a contact or source for various media outlets seeking background information about the charity or cause.

Giving back can help your community continue to thrive and grow in these tough economic times. Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” The saying is applicable for what Block Real Estate Services strives to achieve every day when giving back to the community.We continue to build our relationship with our local law enforcement and an important part of our contribution to our community is our involvement in the Jeff Taylor 5K/10K Walk/Run for SAFE.  We hope you will join us for this year’s event on October 14, 2012!

Get involved.  Stay involved.

Contributing Author:

Deanna Jefferson
Senior Property Manager
Block Real Estate Services, LLC
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