Michael Kercheval President & CEO
The Albert Sussman International Community Support Award is given to the shopping center or shopping center company that has demonstrated the very best in community service over the past year. The award was presented during ICSC's Night of the Stars as part of the Best-of-the-Best Awards at RECon, one of the largest retail real estate conventions in the world held in Las Vegas on May 17th.
The finalists for the Albert Sussman International Community Support Award are the United States, European and Canadian Community Support Award winners. The philanthropic organization or social causes supported by each of the finalists have already received a $5,000 award. The finalists are now in the running to win the Best-of-the-Best award in the community service category as well as an additional $10,000 award to be donated to their charitable endeavor.
"We are thrilled to add this award to an already star-studded Night of the Stars event," said Michael Kercheval, ICSC president and CEO. "Recognizing the vital role that shopping centers and shopping center companies play in the communities they serve, the ICSC Foundation created this prestigious award to pay homage to the center or company that truly distinguished itself in the area of community service this past year," he added.
Albert Sussman International Community Support
Award Finalists
The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. for its Polo Park Demonstrates a Can-Do Spirit
Polo Park Shopping Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg's Polo Park partnered with Canstruction, an internationally renowned design and construction event, to build giant structures using non-perishable canned and boxed foods. The exhibition and food drive's goal was to motivate the public to donate non-perishable food items to Winnipeg Harvest within a 24-hour time frame. The 176,167 tons of food collected created enough sculptures to beat the previous 24-hour World Record.
Owned by: ONTREA Inc.
Managed by: The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd.
Multi Development Germany GmbH for its Multi Talent Programme Forum, Duisburg, Germany
The goal of the Multi Talent program was to provide jobs for unemployed young people living in the neighboring areas of the company's shopping centers. The program provided youths who had not completed their education with 12 months of college and on-the-job training. Of the initial 36 programme participants, 31 found full-time jobs and became ambassadors for the program moving forward.
Owned by: Multi Investment
Managed by: Multi Development Germany GmbH
Simon Property Group for its Simon Youth Foundation, Indianapolis, Indiana
Simon Property Group's support of the Simon Youth Foundation (SYF) revolves around two primary programs; unique alternative high schools for at-risk children that are located in the vicinity of Simon Malls, and a national scholarship program. The schools, called Education Resource Centers (ERC), are set up as partnerships between Simon Property Group, public school districts, and SYF. Students who are at-risk of dropping out of school succeed at the resource centers because the environments are tailored to meet their individual needs. The scholarship program provides post-secondary financial support to ERC graduates and high school seniors. Close to $1.5 million was awarded to ERC graduates and high school seniors in Simon Mall communities to pursue higher education in 2008. The $1 million in awards mark for a single year was eclipsed for the first time in SYF history in 2008.
Owned by: Simon Property Group
Managed by: Simon Property Group
The ICSC Foundation promotes and rewards community support efforts and provides undergraduate, graduate-level and retail real estate practitioner's educational scholarships. The Community Support Award program is designed to recognize exceptional contributions by shopping centers or shopping center companies within their communities.
Established in 1988, the ICSC Foundation is the non-profit public charity of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc.