EQ Launches Catalog Cares Program at Willis Tower to Support Chicago Area Frontline Workers and Restaurants

CHICAGO, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EQ Office, a U.S. portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, today announced the launch of Catalog Cares, an initiative that allows both the 15,000 people who work at Willis Tower in Chicago and the public to give meals to health care workers on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, while supporting restaurants at Willis Tower. For every e-gift card to a Catalog restaurant purchased, Willis Tower will make a matching donation to Frontline Foods Chicago to feed frontline workers and impacted communities in the Chicago area.

The Catalog Cares program is kicking off during National Nurses Week, and every meal purchased will provide meals for area health care workers who are working tirelessly to care for patients. The Catalog Cares program is named after Catalog, the dining, entertainment and community experience at the base of Willis Tower.

"The brave men and women working on the frontline are putting their lives on the line in the fight against COVID-19, and we want to thank them for their sacrifice," said David Moore, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Director, EQ Office. "We also recognize the restaurant industry has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Catalog Cares connects the two, giving Willis Tower tenants and the public a chance to double the impact of their support for health care workers while also supporting Catalog's new restaurants and their employees."

The public can purchase Catalog Cares e-gift cards by visiting www.catalogcares.com, and those who work at the Tower will be able to do the same using the tenant-exclusive MyWillisTower app. Willis Tower will match 100 percent of the amount purchased, up to $50,000. Catalog restaurants participating in Catalog Cares include Brown Bag Seafood, Do Rite Donuts & Chicken, Shake Shack, Starbucks, sweetgreen and Tortazo. Both the website and MyWillisTower app were developed by HqO, a Boston-based Tenant Experience platform partner working closely with EQ Office over the last year. 

"Willis Tower is a beloved landmark in Chicago that provides outstanding views and unforgettable experiences to locals and tourists. Frontline Foods Chicago is thrilled to work with EQ and the Willis Tower community because the partnership not only supports the local economy, it also helps fuel our frontline heroes during this critical time," said Bre Smith, Co-lead of Frontline Foods Chicago.

For more information about Catalog Cares, including how to purchase an e-gift card, visit www.catalogcares.com.

About EQ Office
EQ focuses on the experience of its 31 million square feet – how space feels, activates and performs to amplify the human experience. We're proud to work hand-in-hand with more than 1,500 customers of all sizes, from Fortune 100 companies to emerging startups, to bring humanity back to the workplace. Our diverse team of 200+ professionals is responsible for creating inspired office environments in major cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. As a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds, we have the resources to lead the changes happening in workspace. Explore your space for greatness at www.eqoffice.com.

About Willis Tower
Located at 233 S. Wacker Drive in the heart of downtown Chicago, Willis Tower is an urban destination and state-of-the-art workplace that welcomes prominent businesses ranging from law firms to large airline corporations to insurance companies. Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Willis Tower has the region's most breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Willis Tower's Skydeck attracts more than 1.7 million visitors each year with its inviting hospitality and memorable experiences. In early 2017, Blackstone and EQ Office announced plans for the biggest restorative transformation project in the building's 46-year history. The $500 million renovation project now underway includes the addition of Catalog, a more than 300,000 square-feet curated dining, entertainment and community experience, as well as a 30,000 square-feet outdoor deck and garden, evolving at the base of the tower. The Catalog name is a historical nod to Willis Tower's original developer and owner, Sears Roebuck, and its popular printed catalog, which was a retail disrupter of its age. Catalog offers an effective way to experience great content, products and experiences. New tenants are now opening in Catalog, and this will continue through its completion in mid-2020. The Tower renovation also includes 150,000 square feet of new tenant amenity spaces. As part of the renovation, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded Willis Tower the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for energy efficiency upgrades made throughout the Tower. Willis Tower was also recently named one of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's (CTBUH) 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years and to the Illinois Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois' 200 Great Places list. For more information, visit www.WillisTower.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram.

About Frontline Foods Chicago
Frontline Foods Chicago is a grassroots organization that provides food from local restaurants to frontline workers and impacted communities during crises. The program helps restaurants keep their kitchens open and workers employed to prepare meals for frontline workers, responders and impacted communities. Frontline Foods originally launched in San Francisco in March 2020 and organically multiplied to cities across the country within weeks, growing into a national movement. Today, the national organization is powered by a grassroots network of 700 volunteers and 15,000 donors across 55 chapters (and growing). For more information about Frontline Foods Chicago or to donate, visit frontlinefoods.org/Chicago or connect on Instagram and Twitter.

Frontline Foods is partnered with World Central Kitchen (WCK), a tax-exempt, registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization led by chef José Andrés. All donations made in connection with this project are tax-deductible.

About HqO
The HqO team is building software and services for commercial real estate firms to deliver a winning tenant experience in a single building or across global portfolios. Our award-winning software puts new experiences, onsite retail and services, and a sense of community directly into the tenants' hands. As the fastest growing tenant experience technology and services company, HqO is known for its industry-leading technology, professional services team, TeX certification services, as well as a unique ecosystem of technology and amenity partners. For more information, visit https://www.HqO.co or follow HqO on Twitter @HqOapp.

SOURCE EQ Office

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