Procopio (foreground) enjoys her volunteer time with DuPage Habitat for Humanity and welcomes others to join her.

Although her volunteer work for the DuPage Habitat for Humanity has helped many area families in just a few years, REALTOR® Danielle Procopio continues to be amazed by good feelings she gets from the individual projects, especially as they near completion.

“Each time I step onto a build site, it’s no longer about me,” says Procopio, of Coldwell Banker Residential in Hinsdale. “My world disappears for a while and it’s all about helping someone else – someone who is trying to make a better life for themselves and their family. It’s about the children who will now have a safe and warm place to do their schoolwork, play in their yard and to call home. It’s about the neighborhood that will benefit from having a new family that contributes to the community. It is about hope and commitment and hard work. And most of all, for me, it’s about seeing the huge smiles and the tears of joy when our partner families finally get the keys to their new home.”

Danielle Procopio

Procopio, a member of the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® (MORe), says she’s served on the construction committee of DuPage Habitat for 2½ years and she’s also co-chair of its site-selection committee.

“Working with the DuPage Habitat for Humanity has been a life-changing experience,” she says. “Not only has it provided the opportunity to meet and work with so many different people with so many different stories and backgrounds, but it has also given me a sense of perspective on my own life. When I see what our partner families are going through and hear their stories, it truly helps me appreciate what I have in my life even more.”

In 2013, when she heard about the DuPage Habitat for Humanity and what it does for low-income area families, it “just made sense” for her to get involved. “I have some construction experience buying, fixing up and selling my own homes, and since I am a REALTOR®, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to meld my two interests and help hard-working families get a ‘hand up’ at the same time.

“These homes wouldn’t be built without the dedication of the men and women that I work with on the construction committee,” says Procopio. “They give their blood, sweat and tears to each project that they work on. They truly epitomize the meaning of selflessness and have taught me so much already. They continue to teach me how to be a better person. The friendships that I’ve made with them will last a lifetime. I’d like to say ‘thank you’ to all of them. Together we are ‘Habitat Strong!’”

To volunteer with the DuPage Habitat for Humanity, visit: http://www.dupagehabitat.org/volunteer/

Watch the IARbuzz blog for weekly stories about the community involvement of Illinois REALTORS® during IAR’s 100th Anniversary year. #MemberMonday

Danielle Procopio #MemberMonday