REALTORS® in the Greater Saint John area are doing their part to keep their community warm this holiday season.
When the Saint John Real Estate Board’s REALTORS Care® committee learned of a great need for winter clothing items at a local family resource centre, they put out a last-minute call to the membership. With the annual fall meeting a few days away, they asked members to bring in donations. The response was overwhelming.
Over 300 winter items were collected, with many of them being brand new hats, scarves, and mittens. “Even on short notice, our members made sure they did not show up empty handed,” said REALTORS Care® Committee Chair, Tim Somerville. “We are thrilled with the amount of donations we received, and this is just the beginning.”
The first round of donations sparked the kick-off to the 2014 REALTORS Care® Winter Clothing Drive. To fill the community’s need for warm winter gear, the committee hosted a free holiday skate in November, welcoming the public to enjoy a night of holiday fun in exchange for new and gently-used winter clothing items.
All items are being donated to The Crescent Valley Resource Centre, which is located in the heart of Saint John’s north end and services a low-income neighbourhood. They are dedicated to improving the well-being of the residents by providing support, education, and wellness programs free of charge. The donated items will be distributed among households in the neighbourhood to ensure everyone has what they need to stay warm this winter.
Saint John REALTORS® have a long history with Crescent Valley. Over the past several years, they have provided the centre with food donations and funds to support their breakfast program and made contributions to their annual holiday party for the residents.
“They are a small organization that has a big impact on the people in their area,” said Somerville. “We want to continue supporting them in any way we can.”
Photo: REALTORS Care® committee chair, Tim Somerville (right), and Crescent Valley Resource Centre Executive Director, Anne Driscoll (left), showing off some of the winter items donated by Saint John REALTORS®.
