Signature Premier Properties Jumps Into Action With $20,000 Breast Cancer Pledge

For one afternoon, Signature Premier Properties wasn't focused on selling houses, negotiating contracts, or navigating mortgage rates. It was on jumping rope.

More than 100 real estate professionals took part in the company's "Jump for a Cause" event Wednesday, Oct. 14, at its East Northport office and its other locations around the island, as part of a month-long breast cancer awareness initiative backed by a $20,000 commitment to the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

Dressed in pink, agents gathered for a challenge that turns each jump into a dollar of support for an organization providing free counseling, education, and other resources to people affected by breast cancer.

Through its Signature Cares charitable initiative, the company is pledging $1 for every jump completed, with activities extending across its 23 Long Island offices.

For the family-owned brokerage, the event is part of a broader corporate philanthropy strategy that combines charitable giving with employee participation and community engagement.

"We're not really fundraising. It's just a way to get our company involved as we donate to breast cancer," said Caitlyn Morris, Signature Premier Properties' chief growth officer.

Morris said the company has supported breast cancer causes for years, including awareness walks and other activities. This is its third year organizing jump rope events.

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Giving back is part of the business

Signature Premier Properties has approximately 1,500 agents, about 60% of whom are women, according to company leadership.

Through Signature Cares, the brokerage organizes charitable initiatives throughout the year, often involving employees from multiple offices.

Morris said the company conducts philanthropic activities almost every month, including food drives, back-to-school collections, Thanksgiving turkey drives and holiday toy and coat drives. The company also operates a food pantry from its East Northport office.

"It's important to us to give back to the communities that we serve," Morris said.

Jackie Viard, Signature's chief business officer, said breast cancer awareness is particularly meaningful because the disease has affected many members of the company's workforce.

She said charitable involvement is not simply an occasional activity but an important part of the company's identity.

"We sell real estate. Yes, but this is who we are. It's giving back," Viard said.

The company selected the Adelphi program after learning about its services and its direct connection to Long Island residents.

Villard said Signature welcomes inquiries from nonprofits interested in corporate partnerships, regardless of their size.

The jump rope initiative also brings employees together across offices.

Kathy Martin, a licensed associate broker from Signature's Northport office, said participating in charitable events helps maintain a sense of community as the brokerage grows.

"We're growing quickly, but we still have a small company kind of mentality that we do things together," Martin said.

Where the $20,000 will make a difference

The beneficiary of the campaign, the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, has been providing assistance to people affected by breast cancer since 1980.

Housed within Adelphi University's School of Social Work, the program offers free, confidential counseling, support groups, educational resources and referrals to patients and families throughout New York State.

Executive Director Reyna Machado said the program relies on grants, foundation support and charitable contributions to maintain its services.

"We're entirely funded by grants," Machado said, explaining that support comes from New York State, federal funding, and private and family foundations.

That funding allows the organization to offer its services without charging patients or their families.

The hotline is staffed primarily by trained volunteers who are breast cancer survivors themselves, providing callers with an opportunity to speak directly with someone who understands the challenges of diagnosis and treatment.

Volunteers generally answer calls remotely in two-hour shifts, while the organization also provides licensed social work services and support groups in English and Spanish.

The program's 2025 impact report illustrates the scope of its work:

• More than 1,000 patients received licensed counseling services.
• Survivorship programs served 400 patients.
• The organization conducted 70 community outreach events, reaching more than 4,000 individuals.
• More than 800 survivors, healthcare professionals, and medically underserved women received education through forums and workshops.
• The program provided 850 referrals for financial assistance and federal entitlement programs.
• Fifty referrals were made for free or low-cost mammography screening.

For Machado, corporate partnerships like the one with Signature help sustain services that patients and families need throughout the year.

"Breast cancer doesn't just happen 31 days out of the year," she said.

Machado encouraged businesses to consider sponsorships and partnerships beyond Breast Cancer Awareness Month, noting that the program organizes educational events and fundraising initiatives year-round.

Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program | 2025

A survivor helping other survivors

For Dina Hannon, a volunteer with the Adelphi breast cancer hotline, the organization's mission is personal.

Hannon is a five-year breast cancer survivor who began volunteering approximately four years ago after completing a training program.

During her own experience with breast cancer, she relied heavily on friends who had undergone similar treatments. Those conversations helped her navigate medical decisions and the emotional challenges of her diagnosis.

Today, she provides that same type of support to others.

Hannon typically volunteers for a two-hour shift each week, answering calls from home. She also participates in the program's peer-to-peer support services, which connect patients with survivors who have experienced similar diagnoses or treatments.

Those relationships sometimes continue through surgery and recovery, with conversations lasting an hour or more.

"I like being there for people answering questions. There's a lot of questions," Hannon said.

She noted that the program offers more than telephone conversations. Callers can be connected with social workers, support groups and other resources when they need additional assistance.

Hannon said she has also noticed a shift in how people seek support, with some preferring text messages or email rather than traditional telephone calls.

For patients and families, the important thing is knowing those resources exist.

Turning employee participation into community impact

Signature's jump rope challenge illustrates how businesses can incorporate charitable initiatives into employee engagement without requiring workers to solicit donations themselves.

Rather than asking agents to raise money individually, Signature is making the financial commitment while encouraging employees to participate in the challenge.

Morris said the company is using the $1-per-jump format to build enthusiasm and involve its offices across Long Island.

At the time of the interviews, participating offices had already begun recording their jumps, with one office reporting more than 500.

The results are being collected on an honor system.

Beyond the donation, company leaders said the activity gives agents from different offices a chance to connect around a shared purpose.

For the Adelphi program, the benefits extend to increased awareness of its services and opportunities to establish additional business partnerships.

Machado said companies interested in helping can sponsor events, contribute to educational programs, or work directly with the organization to identify opportunities that fit their interests.

One upcoming opportunity is Adelphi's Celebration of Survivorship on Oct. 22, which brings together women sharing their experiences with breast cancer.

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, Machado hopes the attention generated by events like Signature's challenge will translate into support that lasts well beyond October.

For businesses considering similar efforts, the message is that community involvement does not necessarily require an elaborate fundraising campaign.

Sometimes, it starts with a jump rope.