In an era where corporate social responsibility is increasingly prioritized, the act of giving back has become more than a gesture of goodwill — it’s fundamental to a company’s identity.
Take Taylor Morrison.
“Giving is part of our culture,” says Brad Schoenberg, Phoenix Division President at Taylor Morrison.
The national homebuilder will soon unveil the first of eight donated homes as part of a planned 16-home community that will provide lodging for cancer patients undergoing treatment at the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Gilbert, Ariz.
The homes will be within walking distance of the treatment center. That’s critical for those seeking a stem-cell transplant, a procedure requiring that they be located within 30 minutes of the campus to qualify for their transplant and post-op monitoring, as well as blood cancer patients needing daily treatment for weeks or months.
Meeting a need
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center is a destination treatment facility. Thousands of patients travel more than 30 miles each way for care, and hundreds come from outside of Arizona each year. For many, affording a place to stay can be a barrier to treatment. That’s what prompted the creation of Banner MD Anderson's existing Home Away from Home program, which currently places patients in hotels at discounted rates. However, hotels aren’t always feasible. Even at a reduced price, a stay spanning 30 days or longer can cost a patient an average of $5,500.
“Because we get a lot of seasonal visitors, hotel rates go really high in the peak season and patients could find it really unaffordable to come to town to go through the treatment,” Schoenberg says. “We thought, as a homebuilder, what can we do to help make that a better situation?”
In supplying the homes, Taylor Morrison, ranked No. 7 on the 2023 Builder 100 list, will not only meet a need in the community, it will expand the footprint of its build-to-rent brand, Yardly. The 1,000-square-foot cottage-style homes include two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry, gathering room, and private backyards. The homes will be fully furnished to promote well-being and recovery.
“Banner had a lot of input in the fit and finish of these homes,” Schoenberg says.
Supporting the cause
Taylor Morrison received an outpouring of support from the building community to help make this project possible. Schoenberg says it was easy to get people on board.
“Cancer affects everybody,” he says. “We have a phenomenal relationship with our trade partners here in the Phoenix market. The in-kind donations have just been unbelievable, from our plumbers and concrete companies to our framing specialists, roofers, insulators, and drywall contractors — the whole scope of construction pitched in.”
The homes are designed to be turned over easily between residents so that they can support incoming patients faster.
The project may even be a model that could be replicated across other Banner facilities.
“Our hope is to help make their success rates go even higher with these patients and make them a little bit more comfortable as they’re going through treatment,” Schoenberg adds. “I hope it’s precedent-setting.”
Through its philanthropic arm, Cox is also a proud supporter of Banner’s advanced cancer-care services. The James M. Cox Foundation recently donated $5 million towards the creation of a dedicated pediatric Blood and Cancer Center at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa. The facility provides treatment to more than 325,000 children annually.
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