WASHINGTON, DC - Apartment Investment and Management Company, through its philanthropic arm, has donated $146,000 to The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors from proceeds raised by sponsors of the 8th annual Aimco Cares Charity Golf Classic. Aimco Chief Administrative Officer Miles Cortez presented the donation to Bonnie Carroll, Founder and Chairman of TAPS, to support the organization's efforts to assist family members who have lost a loved one in the line of duty. Joining Cortez for the presentation were Al Cissel and Scott Melnick of Jones Lang LaSalle and Jack Hannum of Transwestern, companies that were top sponsors of the charity golf tournament.
"This donation will have a tremendous impact on the ability of the families of America's fallen heroes to find comfort and care through TAPS," said Carroll. "TAPS is there, through formal agreement with the military, for the loved ones of every service member who dies while serving in the Armed Forces. This means Aimco is now touching, in a profound way, the lives of thousands of those families who have sacrificed for our nation's freedom. We are so honored and grateful for AIMCO's very generous support."
"Aimco Cares is proud of its partnership with TAPS, an organization that is on-call 24/7 to provide a network of critical services to the families whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice," said Cortez. "Honoring the memory of our valiant men and women and ensuring that their surviving families receive the support they need is a priority for our company and reflects Aimco's corporate citizenship values."
Since its inception, the annual golf classic has raised nearly $1.3 million dollars for charitable causes. This year's co-beneficiary is the Aimco Cares Opportunity Scholarship Fund which provides financial assistance to college-bound students living in affordable housing. The scholarship program is administered by the National Leased Housing Association Education Fund. More than 120 golfers participated in the 2011 Aimco Cares charity tournament with more than 50 companies providing sponsorships to raise funds for the event. Platinum sponsors, contributing $10,000 or more, were Moran and Company, the tournament's largest contributor; Apartment Guide; Apartment Realty Advisors; Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck; Critigen; Cushman & Wakefield; Harris Winick, LLP; Hosting.com; Jones Lang LaSalle; Kutak Rock LLP; Latham & Watkins LLP; RealPage; Transwestern; and Wilmar.
Aimco, a real estate investment trust headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is one of the largest owners and operators of apartment communities in the United States. Aimco owns or manages 565 properties, and serves approximately 500,000 residents each year. Aimco's properties are located in 38 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Aimco common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AIV and are included in the S&P 500.
Founded out of tragedy in 1994, TAPS has established itself as the front line resource to the families and loved ones of our military men and women. TAPS provides comfort and care through comprehensive services and programs including peer based emotional support, case work assistance, crisis intervention, and grief and trauma resources. TAPS has assisted over 30,000 surviving family members, casualty officers and caregivers.