During the holiday season, individual real estate offices and Illinois REALTORS® will show their support for local charities in addition to participating in their local associations. Here are five such examples:

  • Dickerson and Nieman Realtors of

    Dickerson and Nieman volunteers give to local food pantry

    Rockford collected 1,812 pounds of food for its holiday food drive and donated $2,000 to the charity Rock River Valley Food Pantry, as well as $500 to the charity Move for Hunger. The office also collected $1,625 to a local non-profit (Remedies) to help victims of domestic violence and $300 of toys to assist the Rockford Health System with its toy drive. Dickerson and Nieman also has an ongoing program for clients who are moving and want to donate their non-perishable food items rather than throw them away.

  • Tovar Realtors of Loves Park – adjacent to Rockford – is gathering donations this month for the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, Inc., in Rockford. The items donated help the non-profit organization care for unwanted, stray or abandoned dogs and cats in the area. It also promotes a spaying/neutering program to end the overpopulation of animals in the community. The organization’s wish list includes animal bedding, washable pet toys, cat beds and blankets, laundry detergent, bleach, distilled water, rubbing alcohol, garbage bags, towels and wash rags.
  • In June and December, Berkshire Hathaway Crosby Starck Real Estate of Rockford participates in clothing drives for Goodwill. Managing Broker Jean Crosby says: “Being a corporate partner with Goodwill is a pleasure. Goodwill delivers a big bright blue bin on rollers to the office so staff and agents can fill it with gently used clothing and other items they no longer use or need.  It’s successful because most of us can open our drawers and closets and find something that someone else can benefit from.” Also, she says Goodwill offers her clients a similar service by dropping off a blue bin at their home when a sale is imminent. The items homeowners don’t want to take to the new home can be placed in the blue bin. When the bin is full, they will pick it up. “Our clients love it,” she says. “It is a win-win for everyone.”
  • Eduardo Garcia and colleagues of Realty of Chicago gave away 581 turkeys!

    REALTOR® Eduardo Garcia and his colleagues at Realty of Chicago organized and gave away 581 turkeys on Nov. 24 to families in the Berwyn community, surpassing a goal of feeding 2,500 with 500 turkeys. “Giving back is an important way of expressing humility, kindness and gratitude for all that we’ve been given,” says Office Manager Melissa Zapata.

  • An agent at the National Realty Network office in Arlington Heights, REALTOR® Bill Kanatas, helped found a charity named Feed6, which packages nutritious meals to feed hungry children and their families in the United States. He says Feed6 has packaged more than two million meals in the last three years, with about half going to Illinoisans. Kris Keller, the Managing Broker for his National Realty Network office, says: “The meals provided by Feed6 are for local food pantries, kitchens, veterans’ homes, etc. The amount of time given by Bill (and his team) is truly selfless and the results are remarkable. They are heroes of mine.”

(This is one part of a series of stories that shine a light on charitable community work performed by local Illinois associations and their members.  To see all of the stories published so far, search for “charitable giving.”)