When Coleen Conklin, Urban Edge's vice president of marketing, heard about a group of retail owners supporting those in need by posting thousands of signs with a suicide hotline number at their shopping centers, she was all in.
"This was a really easy opportunity for us to say, 'Yeah, let's do it' in terms of a company," Conklin said of promoting the new 988 Lifeline, which was dedicated as a nationwide 3-digit number for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services by the Federal Communications Commission earlier this year. "It's a really big part of our (company's) culture to be giving back to the community. And (as for) mental health awareness, we've been doing things internally for our employees on an ongoing basis. This month, for example, we had therapy dogs in the office."
Urban Edge is joining Brixmor Property Group, Kimco Realty, Kite Realty Group, Peterson Cos., Regency Centers and Sterling Organization in partnering with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Vibrant Emotional Health on the initiative. The landlords plan to post more than 8,400 “Signs of Hope” across 1,450 shopping centers in 40 states to increase awareness of emotional support services for those in distress.
Conklin heard about the effort from Kristen Moore, Brixmor's senior vice president of marketing, Conklin told CoStar News. Conklin and Moore are part of an informal networking group of retail real estate peers in the open-air shopping industry.
The initiative aims to increase awareness of the 988 Lifeline operated through a national network of over 215 local centers providing 24/7 emotional support via phone, text or online to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Installation of the 12-by-18-inch, metal signs, primarily on parking-lot light poles at the shopping centers, kicked off last month with a full rollout expected by year-end 2024. The reflective signs, visible at all hours, highlight multiple ways to reach the 988 Lifeline and its mental health services.
Urban Edge may even expand the initiative by promoting 988 Lifeline on its website, on social media or within its shopping centers, Conklin said. The landlords' program is aimed at the 251 million people who make 4.2 billion visits to these shopping centers annually.