At DOC, we’re not only building healthier communities by owning and operating top-notch medical facilities, but also by rolling up our sleeves and engaging with the people and places we serve. We take great pride in promoting a culture of volunteerism and service to others. Here are just a few of our favorite moments in the community from 2021, and we can’t wait to make an even bigger difference in the year ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GivingTuesday is a global day of philanthropy, held annually on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It’s an opportunity for businesses and their various partners and stakeholders to come together to make a difference, in their unique way, for causes important to them and the communities they call home. At DOC, that’s always meant working hand-in-hand with our property managers and health care partners to create unique activations across our portfolio.

This year’s effort was inspired by a TikTok video created by the daughter of a former patient at our Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, TX. The heartfelt and moving clip demonstrates just how much meaning can be sewn into a simple article of clothing and how comforting a warm coat can be to someone who is struggling. So, in that spirit of “Giving the Gift of Warmth,” we encouraged each of our property managers to stage coat drives or other related events at their facilities in the weeks leading up to GivingTuesday as part of this effort.

As usual, our committed and generous partners did not disappoint. Here is just a sampling of the GivingTuesday initiatives that took place across our portfolio this year:

Dallas, TX: Inspired by the heartfelt TikTok video, our DOC management team at the Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center held in-person and virtual coat drives to benefit The Stewpot, a haven for homeless and at-risk individuals. Their efforts resulted in 80 coats and nearly 100 additional cold-weather items such as socks, gloves, and hats collected to support those in need.

Atlanta, GA: Our management partners at Realty Trust Group (RTG) facilitated a collection of winter coats and canned food items for local charities, including the Salvation Army, Nicholas House, Gwinnett Family Promise Mission, and My Sister’s House. The team amassed more than 100 coats and over 100 food items.

Fredericksburg, VA: Our partners at Flagship Health Properties hosted a coat drive and collected close to 50 adult and children’s coats for a local homeless shelter.

Indianapolis, IN: Our partners at Cornerstone Team asked their tenants to donate new toys for the Lawrence Fire Department’s Holiday Family Assistance Program and winter weather gear for Hamilton County Kids Coats program. In addition, the team shared themed cake pops and beautifully decorated cookies from a local bakery as a sweet reward. The response was so positive that the team extended the collection timeframe beyond GivingTuesday to accommodate everyone wanting to give.

Minneapolis, MN: The Minneapolis Davis Team volunteered at Second Harvest Heartland, packaging rice into one-pound containers to be distributed to food pantries across Minnesota. They also challenged their tenants to donate time to charities of their choosing.

Omaha, NE: DOC’s Omaha-based management team sponsored a coat drive at their Kearney and Omaha properties, encouraging their tenants and their patients to do some early “spring cleaning” to gather up unused warm clothing. Their efforts resulted in over 60 coats to benefit local charities.

Regardless of how our partners chose to participate, they all succeeded in spreading much-needed warmth within their communities. We’re so proud of their generosity and commitment to help DOC continue to Invest in better this holiday season and always.

 

DOC is a longtime supporter of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity. Earlier this summer, for the third year in a row, we were thrilled to continue making a difference for Milwaukee families in need. On two separate occasions, our team of eager volunteers donned masks and hard hats to help make “safer at home” a reality for one local family. Being able to work alongside Shaquita and help her realize her dream of becoming a first-generation homeowner is an experience we’ll never forget.

To read more about Shaquita’s story and see our DOC volunteers in action, visit here.

Recently, alongside our friends at Bevara Building Services, Asset Management team members at Physicians Realty Trust prepared and served a meal to the residents at the Guest House of Milwaukee. This is the second time that our DOC employees have partnered with the Guest House, and it was another meaningful and fun evening for all involved.

To learn more about the Guest House’s mission to serve individuals who are homeless with dignity, click here.

In this season of giving, the Physicians Realty Trust team conducted an annual gift drive in partnership with Next Door Milwaukee. This nonprofit promotes school readiness and success in life for young Milwaukee children and families through exceptional early childhood programming and whole-family support services. Each year, the organization serves over 1,400 children ages 0-5 who live in poverty.

This annual gift drive began in 2015 through the adoption of one classroom and 25 children. Today, it has grown into one of our most-anticipated service events. Now in our fifth year, Physicians Realty Trust is proud to adopt two Next Door classrooms with 50 children served as well as two families. In total, our team provides about 100 gifts annually to spread the holiday cheer in our community.

Martina Stevens, a Volunteer Coordinator for Next Door Milwaukee, shared, “Thanks to all our generous donors, we were able to provide a special holiday season to 84 Next Door families and more than 1,000 students. I look forward to the joy this process brings, not only to our children and families but to our donors as well.”

To learn more about Next Door’s early childhood education efforts, click here.

Ten Physicians Realty Trust volunteers planned, shopped, prepared, and served a dinner to 86 residents of the Guest House of Milwaukee. This nonprofit provides shelter, housing, education, and services to individuals who are homeless and seeking to transform their lives with dignity and purpose. The DOC Team had a great time working together with lots of laughs along the way, putting our C.A.R.E. philosophy into action by serving our community.

Volunteers not pictured include Mark Dukes, Joey Williams, and Erik Wahlgren.

Thank you, Team!

At the 2019 DOC Management Summit, proceeds from our Casino Night event supported this year’s DOC Cares service recipient, the Wisconsin EMS Association (WEMSA). We chose WEMSA as our service project recipient in remembrance of the September 11 anniversary, which coincided with the first day of our Management Summit. Working together, we donated $6,155 to support WEMSA’s education and training efforts, along with over 100 stuffed animals given to kids in crisis by the WEMSA team. It was a fantastic evening of gaming and giving!

As part of DOC’s commitment to our team members and communities, the company established a volunteer time off (VTO) program in 2019 to provide time off with pay for individual service efforts. Recently, a group of Physicians Realty Trust team members used this benefit and volunteered at HAWS (Humane Animal Welfare Society) in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The team cleaned, organized supplies, and gave all the animals some much-needed love and attention. Great job, Carla Perez, Jessica Bissett, Ann Gurka, Kelly Farina, Allison Brey, Morgan Fredericks, and Laura Kreiser!

30 Physicians Realty Trust volunteers headed to the Hunger Task Force Farm in Franklin, Wisconsin to assist field maintenance while supporting our local community. Together, we learned about their 208-acre farm which provides half a million pounds of fresh foods and vegetables each year to enhance the nutrition of families across our region. We are proud to number among the 5,000+ volunteers who support this fantastic nonprofit annually with their sweat equity.

Physicians Realty Trust celebrates and supports its women leaders. Recently, members of our Team attended the annual awards celebration for Impact100 Greater Milwaukee. This women’s philanthropic organization collectively awards transformative grants that make a lasting impact on our community. Attendees included team members Jessica Bissett, Morgan Fredericks, Laura Kreiser, John Lucey, and Vanessa Petura, as well as Board of Trustees member Dr. Bill Ebinger.

Our DOC Cares cureHUNTER charity fundraiser at the BOMA MOB Conference in Minneapolis was a smashing success! Together, we raised nearly $75,000 for pediatric cancer research. Thank you to all of the bidders on our silent auction items, and a special congrats to our friend Natalie Sproull from Capital One Healthcare for earning the honor to pie DOC EVP and CIO Deeni Taylor in the face for charity! Many thanks also to the auctioneer stylings of Courtney Nelson, from CommonSpirit Health  who helped pep up the crowd with her infectious energy. Again, a tremendous thank you to everyone that came out in support of this truly worthy cause.

In honor of Earth Day, the DOC Team participated in an Annual Spring Clean Up coordinated by Milwaukee Riverkeeper. This local nonprofit works to create swimmable, fishable rivers for future generations of Milwaukeeans to enjoy. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures, our team had a great time during this DOC Cares program by getting our hands dirty, knowing that we are making a difference in our community.

In partnership with Milwaukee’s Real Estate Alliance for Charity (REACH), Physicians Realty Trust participated in a bowl-a-thon event benefitting local nonprofits. The team had a fantastic time supporting such a great cause.

REACH is a non-profit organization that raises funds through interactive and engaging activities. Each year, REACH awards over $37,500 in grants to local charities. REACH focuses on supporting charities whose primary goal is to serve the needs of children in Wisconsin. To learn more, click here.