Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB) contributed approximately $70,000 to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation in 2015, and were able to help out 23 shelter-related charities in the Ottawa-area in December 2015, just in time for the holiday season.
The funds were raised through the Board’s annual charity golf tournament, the “dollar per member per month” campaign, and the RONA Card program, where a percentage of all money spent by OREB cardholders, is donated to the Foundation.
The REALTORS Care® Committee at the Board received 23 grant applications from local shelter-related charities. Each of the 23 charities was endorsed and recommended by a Member of their Board, thus ensuring that any grants awarded would go to charities that are supported by their Members. This year the Committee was fortunate to be able to provide funding to each charity that applied.
“It’s a great feeling to know that the money we raised and donated goes directly towards helping charities in Ottawa,” says Ottawa Real Estate Board President Shane Silva. “REALTORS® are known for caring a great deal about the communities they live and work in, and we know that these donations will go a long way to help our local charities, especially over the holidays.”
Each and every one of these charities assist those among us who do not have adequate shelter; those who may be dealing with homelessness, addiction, mental or physical illness, spousal or familial abuse, physical disability, poverty, or aging. The work these organizations do is essential to the well-being of the community, but it is often difficult and stressful work, and there is never adequate funding available from public sources for equipment, staff, and infrastructure. These grants are a way of recognizing their valued work in the community.
The 2015 Ottawa-area grant recipients are as follows:
- Ancoura
- Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa
- Bruce House
- Carleton Place and District Youth Centre
- Chrysalis House (WOCRC)
- The Door Youth Centre
- Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre
- Habitat for Humanity
- Harmony House
- Harvest House
- Hospice at May Court
- Jericho Road Christian Ministries
- John Howard Society of Ottawa
- LiveWorkPlay
- Maison d’Amitié
- Nelson House
- Ottawa Carleton Lifeskills
- Ottawa Rotary Home Foundation
- Rogers House
- Shepherds of Good Hope
- YMCA Youth Housing Program
- Youth Services Bureau
- Youville Centre
The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation is operated by the Ontario Real Estate Association, and provides grants to Ontario shelter-related charities. The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation is supported by Ontario real estate boards and associations, and their REALTOR® Members.
Pictured: OREB members on-site at a 2015 Habitat for Humanity build.
