COMMUNITY SERVICE
Caring Partners for Kids
When conjoined Egyptian twins Mohammed and Ahmed came to America to undergo a major head separation surgery, their family and nurses needed a place to stay. Walden, a multifamily owner and developer, and its affiliate, WMC Management, saved the day.
WMC’s program, Caring Partners for Kids, provides free long-term housing at Walden communities across Texas to families with children who are undergoing medical treatment at facilities nearby. Furnished units include all necessary housewares, such as bedding, dishes, cookware, and even a television and washer and dryer.
“The cost of medical technology is so expensive,” says John Bartling, president and CEO of Dallas-based WMC and Walden. “A mother or father may have to move for three, six months to a year or longer while the other part of the family stays at home,” he says. “It becomes very expensive for these families.” Plus, he adds, a caring, non-medical environment helps speed up recovery.
The program is a win-win for the entire community. Employees and residents get to know the families and feel good about living at a Walden property, says Patrick Smits, senior vice president of Walden and WMC. Plus, many hospital employees refer people to the apartment communities, adds Bartling.
“It’s not about talk,” Bartling says. “It’s about action, because people see, live, and touch them [the kids] every day.”
WMC plans to take the program to the next level. Recently, 25 top real estate executives discussed ways to expand the Caring Partners program to public and private real estate companies.
“We really think this is one of the best ways for us as an industry to work with the communities in a way that gives our industry a better footprint,” Bartling says.
–R. Azoff
Caring Partners for Kids
Company: WMC Management Co. LLC; Headquarters: Addison, Texas; Participating families: 100-plus