The Real Estate Council Hosts The Bank of Texas Speaker Series presented by The Dallas Morning News

Jan. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- Dallas, Texas – January 30, 2012 – The Real Estate Council’s first 2012 installment of the Bank of Texas Speaker Series presented by The Dallas Morning News features Morton H. Meyerson, chairman and CEO of 2M Companies, Inc. The topic will be “Guerrilla Philanthropy: Taking Giving Personally”. The breakfast is Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at the Belo Mansion, 2101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75201. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the program lasts until 9 a.m. The breakfast is sponsored by Ernst & Young, Holt Lunsford Commercial and Stewart Title.

Morton H. Meyerson, a Dallas business legend and philanthropist, is making a big impact on small grassroots efforts with his own brand of guerrilla philanthropy. He will talk about his fervent motivations and innovative methods of helping those in need.

In addition to Meyerson’s speech, the breakfast also celebrates The Real Estate Council Foundation’s 2012 Community Initiatives, a program in which the foundation provides pro bono technical assistance and cash grants to agencies in four target areas: housing, education, job creation and the environment. Pro bono professional assistance multiplies the value of the investment many times. The 2012 Community Initiatives are:

St. Philip’s School and Community Center
Investment: $40,000
Focus: Education, Job Creation, Environment
Located in South Dallas, St. Philip’s School and Community Center offers a Christian school, outreach programs targeted specifically to children and teens, and social services for the community including a food pantry. This investment will help expand the food pantry space so that St. Philip’s can serve 300 families, thus doubling the number of families fed from the community. The expansion will help fight the absence of healthy food choices available for families within this low-income neighborhood. The Real Estate Council’s members will provide pro bono professional services including architectural, construction management, and general contractor services.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas
Investment: $60,000
Focus: Education
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas/East Dallas serves up to 130 children after school each day with programming and serves as a club that potential donors tour because of its proximity to the organization’s headquarters. The club has reached its current capacity, so critical renovations will allow more children, the majority of whom live below the poverty level, to benefit from after-school and summer programs. The Real Estate Council’s members will renovate the following: level/resurface buckled flooring; replace HAVC units; update restrooms; replace gym/lighting/electrical panels; and renovate the reception desk area.

East Dallas Community Organization (EDCO)
Investment: $10,000
Focus: Housing
The East Dallas Community Organization is a certified City of Dallas’ Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) with a long, successful track record. The Real Estate Council will devise a Community Redevelopment Plan to continue the Dolphin Heights community revitalization effort. With the plan in place, the long-term goal would be to provide the framework so that the group can facilitate affordable housing (build new affordable housing, rehab existing housing) to qualified families and revitalize Dolphin Heights into a safe, vibrant and productive neighborhood. The Real Estate Council’s members, including attorneys, land planners, architects and title companies, will provide pro bono professional assistance.

Big Thought
Investment: $15,000
Focus: Education
The Real Estate Council will fund the Cityville project, an after-school, educational program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of real estate through a mock, ground-up development exercise mimicking real world activities such as forming an LLC, calculating project costs, understanding government relationships, architectural design and construction phases. The long-term goal is to supplement traditional education with creative learning opportunities for under-represented and academically struggling children. Another goal is to increase awareness of careers in commercial real estate for these students. The pilot program was conducted and deemed successful during the 2010 school year. The Real Estate Council’s members will share their expertise with students in zoning, marketing, banking, architecture and construction.

Food for Good Farm at Paul Quinn College, a project of The Real Estate Council’s Associate Leadership Council
Investment: $40,000
Focus: Education, Environment, Job Creation
The Real Estate Council’s Associated Leadership Council (ALC) class has selected the Food for Good Farm at Paul Quinn College as its project to positively impact the food desert in this South Dallas area. To date, there are no limited-service stores, small independent grocers or discount grocery stores within the college’s zip code, and the nearest grocery store is approximately four miles from the campus. The ALC class will construct a greenhouse so the farm can harvest seeds from each season’s crop supply, leading to more abundant production in year-round growing seasons. By adding the greenhouse, the Food for Good Farm can produce twice as much food, therefore helping to sell more produce to the surrounding community and local restaurants. The ALC class will provide professional services including architectural design, master planning, solar energy use, engineering services and construction.
The Real Estate Council will also continue to support its signature education program, Real Estate 101, in partnership with the Center for Nonprofit Management, to provide nonprofit organization with an introductory overview to the complexities of real estate. Course work provides community organizations with the technical expertise and skills needed to analyze real estate needs (such as the decision to lease, buy or develop) and insight into navigating the development process including financing and political advocacy. In 2010 and 2011, the course was oversubscribed, serving approximately 60 organizations, and is expected to be filled in 2012 as well.

The Real Estate Council Foundation will also honor its 2011 Community Partners—corporate charities, businesses, family foundations and individuals—that invest directly in the foundation and its initiatives. The 2011 Community Partners were: Bank of America, BBVA Compass, Behringer Harvard, Chase, Frost, GE, Hoblitzelle Foundation, Union Bank, and Wells Fargo. The Community Partners program is a vehicle for businesses, foundations financial institutions and individuals to donate funds that are invested along with The Real Estate Council Foundation’s funds and the expertise of The Real Estate Council’s members to benefit the community. For more information about the Community Partners Program, contact The Real Estate Council at 214.692.3600.

Reserved tables of 10 for the breakfast are $500 pre-paid. The cost to The Real Estate Council’s members is $50 pre-paid and $55 at the door per person. The cost to nonmembers is $80 pre-paid and $90 at the door per person. There is no charge for Full, Sustaining and Platinum members of The Real Estate Council if pre-registered. Last year’s breakfast sold out, so reservations are encouraged before the deadline of January 30 by calling 214.692.3600, or online at www.recouncil.com/communitybreakfast. Garage parking is available at the Belo Mansion for a nominal fee.

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The Real Estate Council:
Founded in 1990, The Real Estate Council is a dynamic organization of more than 1,300 commercial real estate professionals and 500 companies representing 95% of the top commercial real estate businesses in North Texas. The Real Estate Council pursues industry advocacy efforts on local and statewide public policy issues and works to improve the quality of life in Dallas with initiatives that address housing, education, job creation and the environment. Over the last 20 years, The Real Estate Council’s FightNight, Giving Gala and Community Partners Program have raised more than $20 million. The organization is a leader of efforts shaping the future of Dallas including the original $1.5 million investment that spearheaded The Park, as well as $6.3 million in pro bono legal and title services and $250,000 in funding that helped create Dallas’ Urban Land Bank. Find out more at www.recouncil.com or by calling 214-692-3600.