Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) recently presented donations totaling just over $18,000 to three local charities.
Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, House of Friendship, and YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo each received $6,000 as a result of their successful grant applications to REALTORS Care®.
“KWAR’s participation ensures that investments are being directed right back into our community through local charities,” said Tony Schmidt, President of KWAR. “Every one of these charities is helping to improve the quality of life in Waterloo region, and it’s very gratifying for us to help these great local organizations reach their goals.”
Karen Redman, of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, said her organization was thrilled to partner with KWAR. “The REALTORS® in Kitchener and Waterloo continue to be leaders in our community recognizing that more families realizing homeownership leads to successful outcomes for the community,” she said.
Margaret Lucas, Development Director at House of Friendship, said the grant would be used for their Close to Home project.
“This donation is a gift of recovery for our fathers, brothers, and sons who choose to enter our residential addiction treatment program which will now be offered in a facility with greater dignity, expanded access and services,” she said. “It also brings hope and healing to their families as these men bravely choose to fight their addiction. We are so very grateful to KW’s REALTORS® for this generous gift.”
Speaking on behalf of YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo, CEO Elizabeth Clarke said her organization provided emergency shelter, a warm bed, food, crisis support and hope for 720 people (including 163 children) experiencing homelessness.
“Many thanks to Kitchener-Waterloo’s REALTOR® community for providing three months of emergency shelter for a woman experiencing homelessness,” Clarke added.
Since 1993 the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® has donated in excess of $1 million to support local charities on behalf of its REALTOR® members.
