Ontario REALTORS® Donate $1 million to Shelter-Based Charities as Pandemic Continues to Challenge Shelters and Food Banks

As the third wave of the pandemic continues to put pressure on the province’s already stretched shelter system, the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington is supporting five shelter-based charities in our local community by providing $19,290 in funding to assist with service continuity. The five shelter-based charities that received funding are Halton Women’s Place, Salvation Army Hamilton Booth Centre,  The Bridge Hamilton, Wesley Urban Ministries, and YWCA Hamilton. This funding is part of the Ontario Real Estate Association’s (OREA) larger donation of $520,000 to Ontario shelters and food banks, which is on top of the $480,000 donation made one year ago. The funds will be distributed through the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation to nearly 100 shelters and food banks across Ontario.

“The impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt around the world, including in our local communities with vulnerable populations being disproportionately affected,” says RAHB President Donna Bacher. “In our RAHB market area, we have witnessed first-hand the tremendous work and obstacles these five charities have had to overcome during the pandemic. Our hope is that this donation will have a direct impact on our community and assist in each charity’s pandemic recovery plan.”

All charities receiving funding are listed on RealHeart.ca, a recently launched initiative with a mission to support Ontario REALTORS® in their work to build stronger communities across Ontario. In 2020 alone, the Foundation raised more than $1.1 million for shelter-based organizations. Today’s donation is part of OREA’s and ORCF’s longstanding commitment to helping families in need of emergency and permanent housing.

“The impact of this pandemic on our local communities has been devastating,” says President of the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Heather Arnott. “We hope this donation will help our community organizations continue the incredibly important work they do to help those going through tough times. I’d like to thank the OREA Board of Directors for their continued support of the Foundation and for their work in responding to the current COVID crisis. This funding is consistent with the socially responsible leadership that OREA, its 37 Member Boards and its REALTOR® Members provide to the Ontario communities they serve.”

Pictured is Anuja Varghese from YWCA Hamilton

To make a donation to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation, go to www.RealtorsCareOntario.ca.

Representatives from 14 local charitable organizations received grant cheques from the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation at the RAHB office on Thursday, December 19.

RAHB President Bob Van de Vrande and CEO Carol Ann Burrell presented cheques totaling $42,180 on behalf of the Foundation, which is supported by RAHB members. Each year, RAHB members raise funds that are distributed among local shelter-related organizations within the RAHB market area.

The recipients of the 2019 Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation grant are as follows: Restoration Second Stage Home, Neighbour to Neighbour, The Salvation Army Hamilton, Shifra Homes, Wesley Urban Ministries, Mission Services Hamilton, Indwell, The King’s Way Outreach, YWCA, The Bridge, Mark Preece Family House, March of Dimes, Good Shepherd Hamilton and St. Peter’s Hospital Foundation.

The recipients of the 2019 Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation grant are specifically using the funds for:

• The Bridge: renovations to the temporary housing facility
• The Good Shepherd Hamilton: purchase “Welcome Baskets” for two years (approximately 250 families)
• Hamilton Health Science Foundation: create a second Enriched Environment — nursery
• Indwell: fund community enhancing programs that are psycho-social activity groups
• March of Dimes: upgrade and renovate Jason’s House to ensure accessibility
• Mark Preece Family House: fund services required to continue providing assistance to families
• Mission Services Hamilton: renovate a bedroom and bathroom that have potential health concerns
• Neighbour to Neighbour: provide produce and dairy items to 1,200 households
• Restoration Second Stage Home: open a residential program in Burlington for 2020
• Shifra Homes: support the maternity home
• The King’s Way Outreach: support two new programs — suicide prevention and literacy
• The Salvation Army Hamilton: support the Salvation Army Meadowlands Adult Day Service
• Wesley Urban Ministries: support the Youth Housing program
• YWCA: support Phoenix Place

If you know any deserving shelter related organizations within the RAHB market area, please encourage them to apply to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation grant next year!

For more information about the REALTORS Care® Foundation, please go to https://realtorscareontario.ca/

Please click the video to view a slideshow of all the charitable organizations receiving their cheque!

Roughly 550 wildfires are burning across British Columbia, and more than 20,000 people are affected by either an evacuation order or alert.

The Canadian Real Estate Association has launched a fundraising campaign in support of the Canadian Red Cross’s B.C. Fires Appeal. Will you help your fellow Canadians in their time of need?

CREA has sent additional information to all members – check your inbox, or donate now by using the link below.