The second annual REALTORS Care® Summer Food Drive was a huge success, with members of the Saint John Real Estate Board raising 14,391 lbs of food for local food banks.
The bar was set high this year when the local REALTORS Care® committee challenged members to top last year’s donation of just over 2,100 lbs of food. The results were overwhelming; with members raising seven times more than expected.
“We initiated the summer food drive last year as a means of filling a need in our community,” said Saint John Real Estate Board President, Jason Stephen. “Food banks experience severe shortages during these months so we were happy to step in and help again.”
What started out as a friendly contest between member companies to raise the most food, quickly turned into a fierce competition to be at the top of the donation leader board. Saint John REALTORS® were driving all over the city purchasing some of the top needed items by the truck load and delivering them to local food banks.
The enthusiasm over this year’s food drive was sparked, no doubt, by last year’s challenge winner, George Carroll of Century 21, who single-handedly donated over 725 lbs of non-perishable food items in 2011. Under George’s leadership, Century 21 gained an edge in this year’s race by purchasing thousands of pounds of potatoes for soup kitchens and organizations who prepare meals for those in need. Together, the team raised a grand total of 4,187 pounds.
In the end, though, RE/MAX Professionals Saint John won the title for the largest donation this year, with an astounding grand total of 4,477 lbs of non-perishable food, fresh produce, and school supplies delivered in multiple truck and trailer loads to food banks and a local soup kitchen.
“Our team saw the need in the community, and pulled together to meet that need,” said Gordon Breau, Manager of RE/MAX Professionals Saint John. “To me, it proves that REALTORS® don’t just live and work in our communities, we care about them, too.”
