In the third installment of our 2022 REALTORS® Give Back project, we recognize a brokerage, two local REALTOR® associations and two chapters of a local association for their philanthropy during November and December.
10 Days of Giving by Gambino Realtors of Rockford
In December, Gambino Realtors of Rockford celebrated 10 Days of Giving by hosting an open house, raising almost $2,400 and distributing it among 10 area nonprofit organizations.
Gambino sent donations to the 17th Circuit Pet Therapy Program, Care for Pets, Family Counseling Services of Northern Illinois, Family Peace Center, the Haven Network, Rockford Rescue Mission, Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling, Rosecrans, Veterans Drop-In Center and Winnebago County Animal Services.
A separate event in advance of the open house offered food, refreshments and holiday spirit to REALTORS® and staff members. Then, using decorations and trees provided by the brokerage, they divided into teams and decorated one tree to represent each nonprofit. Open house guests voted for their favorite tree or charity through their donations.
Decorating team captains included REALTORS® and staff members: Debbie Bartelt, Sandy Basel, Jean Campbell, Heather Carter, Pam Cunningham, Kathy Heeren-Ellis, Connie Paris and Juanita Rinaldo.
“Throughout our history, Gambino Realtors and its agents have been dedicated to various organizations that provide valuable services in our area,” said Gambino Realtors President Jonathan Krause. “In advance of our 100th anniversary in 2023, we wanted to do something special to support the community that has helped Gambino maintain its success over the years. Our mission is to help the 8-1-5 (area code) become the ‘great one five.’”
NorthWest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS®
In December, the Northwest Illinois Alliance of REALTORS® (NWIAR) participated in two different events to benefit nonprofit organizations.
Volunteers from NorthWest’s Young Professionals Network partnered with a local nonprofit, GiGi’s Playhouse in Rockford, and spent an afternoon helping children decorate cookies for the holidays.
GiGi’s Playhouse is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that serves families of children with Down’s Syndrome by providing hope, acceptance and the tools to succeed in life. GiGi’s provides free educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down’s Syndrome, their families and the community through a replicable playhouse model.
Earlier in the year, Northwest’s YPN selected GiGi’s Playhouse as part of its “Rock the Block” community project. YPN raised $10,000 for GiGi’s programs, volunteered at GiGi’s annual gala and helped at its dinner out fundraiser.
Also in December, Rockford-area members of Northwest collected and donated more than 250 art supply items and more than $600 in cash and gift cards to the Rockford Area Arts Council. The supplies and funds will help the council’s summer apprenticeship/mentorship program, which is open to all youths in the Rockford area.
“We thought it would be cool to come up with a fundraiser that connects with our arts community, a different kind of event, something outside the box,” says NWIAR CEO Conor Brown. “We want to support our community’s underserved youth this this unique apprentice program. And arts are important to community development and enriching local amenities.”
“Our programs increase access to the arts for our community’s underserved youth as they develop artistic skill-sets through one-on-one work with lead artists,” said Rockford Area Arts Council Executive Director Mary McNamara Bernsten. “This increases self-esteem, self-confidence and autonomy through skill development and independent work. And it will impact the Rockford community through temporary and/or permanent art installations.”
Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR)
In November, CAR members packaged and distributed 1,200 hot dinners and refreshments for Auburn Gresham neighborhood residents through the Ark of St. Sabina’s Operation HOPE. The event was hosted by BJ’s Market and Bakery, a local, black-owned restaurant. The neighborhood is home for many historically marginalized and underserved residents.
In addition, the CAR Foundation provided a charitable grant of $10,000 to the Ark of St. Sabina to help support its annual community programs and services.
The Ark of St. Sabina provides educational and employment opportunities and programs for youths and young adults, ages 6-28, at no cost. The Ark annually serves more than 2,000 youths and families daily from Auburn Gresham, Englewood and West Englewood neighborhoods through after-school programs, summer camps and outreach events.
Tri-County Chapter of NWIAR
For three weeks, 25 members of the Tri-County Chapter of the NWIAR took turns ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign in Freeport.
Proceeds from two hours of bell ringing, volunteers estimated, could feed a family of four for an entire week. Money collected is used to help local people in need.
The Tri-County Chapter – formerly the REALTOR® Association of NorthWest Illinois – includes members from Stephenson, Jo Daviess and Carroll counties.
Boone County Chapter of NWIAR
Members of the Boone County Chapter of the NWIAR sponsored a family in need through the Belvidere Chamber of Commerce’s Hometown Christmas project.
The chapter raised more than $630 to help a family of seven meet their own basic needs as well as provide them with gifts and a decorated Christmas tree.
Following a brief display period, the decorated trees and gifts were delivered to sponsored families. REALTORS® Leann Sackett of Keller Williams Realty in Loves Park, Cassandra Hoch of Key Realty, Inc., in Rockford and Cathy Fiebig of Berkshire Hathaway in Rockford helped decorate the tree.
(Click on the photos to get more information.)
