We are thrilled to announce a new collaboration between the New York Blood Center (NYBC) and the Building Owners & Managers Association of Greater New York (BOMA New York) in relaunching the “Skyscrapers for Life” initiative. From May 1, 2024, to October 31, the campaign aims to encourage owners of commercial multi-tenant properties to host blood drives.
Initially conceived by MetLife in 1997, the “Skyscrapers for Life” initiative was revitalized this year with enthusiastic participation from numerous property management companies. The campaign fosters friendly competition among properties, aiming to see who can collect the most blood donations and save the most lives.
Participating properties will compete in three categories:
- Property Management Group of the Year: The highest number of cumulative blood donations within a property management company’s portfolio.
- Property of the Year: Individual property with the highest number of blood donations.
- Tenant of the Year: Tenant with the most donations contributed to a Skyscrapers for Life blood drive.
Winners will be honored at the BOMA New York Holiday Luncheon in December, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the community.
The campaign reached an impressive 321 donations through just seven blood drives, marking a remarkable 328% increase compared to last year’s 75 donations in the same period. With 25 blood drives already scheduled and over 1,100 donations projected during the campaign, the campaign will likely continue the upward trajectory. Fourteen property management companies have supported this cause, including Empire State Realty Trust, Fisher Brothers, Global Holdings, Hines, Related Companies, Rockhill Management, Rudin, RXR, Silverstein Properties, The Durst Org, Tishman Speyer, Vornado, Brookfield Properties and Paramount.
“We are grateful to BOMA New York and their incredible leadership for helping the blood supply to reach new heights over the next six months of the ‘Skyscrapers for Life’ campaign,” said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at New York Blood Center. “New York Blood Center saw a significant decrease in corporate office blood drives following the pandemic when remote and blended work schedules became the new normal. We are thrilled to see the real estate community step up to combat this and encourage their employees to give the gift of life this year.”
“BOMA New York is proud to support New York Blood Center through the newly relaunched Skyscrapers for Life program. BOMA New York members support many charitable organizations to give back to the communities in which we work and live. We take our responsibilities to our fellow New Yorkers seriously,” said Patrick Dolan, Chair of BOMA New York. “This initiative is significant to me personally and as Chair of BOMA New York, as it speaks directly to our core mission of providing safe and effective places for people to work and support themselves and their families. I cannot think of a better use of our assets than to support the health of our fellow New Yorkers by providing the necessary space for critical blood donations and using our collective voice to bring in as many donations as we can. Please participate if you can. Lives depend upon it.”
In a city known for its towering skyscrapers, the “Skyscrapers for Life” initiative is a testament to the heights of compassion and solidarity achieved when communities come together for a common purpose.