Recently, real estate professionals exchanged their notebooks and pens for gardening tools to spend an afternoon providing hands-on assistance at the Fisher House Foundation at the James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center in the Bronx. Their efforts were part of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Fellows Leadership Programme, an initiative designed to prepare aspiring real estate leaders to better understand New York City, their role within it, and the civic responsibilities that come with a leadership position.
The programme, now in its sixth year, graduated its latest cohort of 23 emerging professionals in early June after six months of learning, leadership development, and intensive engagement with the issues and institutions most critical to the city. The Fisher House Foundation provides complimentary accommodation for military and veteran families while a loved one is receiving medical care, enabling them to stay close during treatment.
Civic Service as a Formative Experience
The Civic Day of Service was one such formative experience, where Fellows joined Fisher House staff and community partners to volunteer in support of veterans and their families. By the end of the day, Fellows had helped beautify an outdoor space for the James J. Peters Veterans Administration Medical Center community, prepared meals, and assembled amenity kits for individuals caring for medically treated loved ones.
The day at Fisher House built on a six-month experience designed to foster the professional and personal growth of the Fellows. This year's cohort learned from leading figures in business and society, participated in leadership training, developed capstone projects, and built relationships through shared experiences, such as an overnight retreat in Poughkeepsie. Throughout the programme, they were encouraged to remain curious and to consider how the real estate sector can positively impact the lives of New Yorkers.
Yvonne Riley-Tepie, Senior Vice President for Social Impact at REBNY, expressed that what she particularly values about the Fellows Programme is its ability to offer aspiring leaders an opportunity to pause and ask themselves what kind of impact they wish to make. For real estate professionals in New York, this question must include how to support the communities and institutions that ensure the city functions.
Real Estate Industry's Responsibility Extends Beyond Property Lines
The timing of the service project was also significant. Coming shortly before the conclusion of the six-month programme, it gave the Fellows an opportunity to put into practice the conversations held during the programme about leadership, civic responsibility, and the role of the real estate industry in New York. For the Fellows, the Fisher House mission imbued the day's work with clear purpose. A revitalised outdoor space can offer families a place to relax away from the clinical environment of a hospital. A meal can lighten the burden of a long day. A care kit can assist someone who has arrived quickly or unexpectedly to support a loved one.
The project also highlighted the coordination and generosity behind a successful service initiative. Fisher Brothers, The Home Depot, New York Restoration Project, and Ariston Florists each contributed to making the day possible by providing the necessary materials, resources, and equipment for the work at Fisher House. For REBNY, the Civic Day of Service reflects a broader understanding of what leadership truly means in the real estate world. New York's real estate industry significantly shapes how people experience the city, from homes and workplaces to commercial corridors and public spaces. This responsibility extends beyond property lines. Strong communities also depend on services, partnerships, and the support of organisations that keep New York resilient.
The Fellows Programme is designed to help aspiring leaders grasp this connection. Real estate professionals work in an industry intimately linked to the daily life of the city, its economy, its neighbourhoods, and its public facilities. Understanding this role requires both insights into policy and markets, and time spent with organisations and people directly engaged in New York's communities. The Civic Day of Service offered the cohort a direct way to support an organisation doing vital work while also experiencing firsthand how cross-sector collaboration can strengthen communities in New York.
James Whelan, President of REBNY, remarked that the lessons from their time at Fisher House will stay with the newest REBNY Fellows into the next phase of their careers. The day reflected the qualities the programme seeks to foster in aspiring leaders, including curiosity, humility, commitment to service, and a stronger sense of responsibility to advance New York. By the end of their afternoon at Fisher House, the Fellows had left their mark on a place built on care, hospitality, and service.
