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WASHINGTON (January 30, 2018) – Realtors®, members of the National Association of Realtors®, not only help people find the right place to live, they are also committed volunteers who give back to their communities. Seventy-one percent of Realtors® volunteered in their community last year, according to NAR’s 2017 Member Profile.
NAR is currently accepting applications for REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards from Realtors® who have made an impact on the world through community service. Entries must be received by Friday, May 4, 2018.
Five winners will be announced in the November/December issue of REALTOR® Magazine and will receive a $10,000 grant for their nonprofit organizations. The winners will be recognized at the 2018 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Boston, receive travel expenses to the conference, and gain national and local media exposure for their cause. In addition to the winners, five honorable mentions will each receive a $2,500 grant.
“Every year Realtors® across the country are raising the bar and working harder than ever to make a difference in their communities through volunteer work,” says NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall, CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty in Columbia, Missouri. “For almost two decades, more than 180 Good Neighbors have shown outstanding dedication to their causes, which has had a tremendous impact on their neighbors and community.”
Since 2000, the Good Neighbor Awards program has donated more than $1.1 million to Realtor®-led nonprofits around the country. The success of the program has been possible through the support of primary sponsor realtor.com® and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
“We are honored to renew our commitment to support the amazing volunteer work of the Good Neighbors,” said Luke Glass, executive vice president of realtor.com® . “Now more than ever, it’s important to celebrate these individuals who invest their time and their personal touch to make a substantial and lasting impact in their community and in the lives of those they benefit.”
Realtor.com® also sponsors the Web Choice Favorite component, an award that will confer additional grant money to the three finalists who get the most votes from the public.
Last year’s Good Neighbor Awards winners contributed thousands of hours and raised millions of dollars for their causes. More than 5,000 Realtors® and guests were on hand to show their appreciation to the winners during the 2017 annual conference in Chicago.
The 2017 winners were Bryson Garbett, Garbett Homes, Salt Lake City, Utah, founder of Foundation Escalera; Howard “Hoddy” Hanna, Howard Hanna Real Estate, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, founding chairman of the Howard Hanna Children’s Free Care Fund; Kay Wilson-Bolton, Century 21 Troop Real Estate, Santa Paula, California, founder of the SPIRIT of Santa Paula; Louise McLean, RE/MAX Solutions, Merritt Island, Florida, founder of Space Coast Association of Realtors® Foundation; and Sal Dimiceli, Lake Geneva Realty, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, founder of The Time Is Now to Help.
Previous Good Neighbor Awards winners expressed that their charities continue to benefit from the grant money and media exposure that resulted from winning the Good Neighbor Award.
“Winning the Good Neighbor Award is an incredible honor that has enabled us to help even more Space Coast families and bring awareness about the homeless children in Brevard County and statewide,” says 2017 winner Louise McLean. “We are now seeing nearby associations become actively involved in volunteering.”
Nominees are considered for the award based on their personal impact on the community through volunteer work. To be eligible, nominees must be NAR members in good standing. Good Neighbor Award entries must be received by Friday, May 4, 2018. For more details, judging criteria and a nomination form, call 800-874-6500 or visit www.nar.realtor/gna.
Realtor.com® is the trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers, offering the most comprehensive source of for-sale properties, among competing national sites, and the information, tools and professional expertise to help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. It pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today helps make all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of Realtors®.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is the nation’s leading originator and servicer of residential mortgages, offering home loans to consumers through the country’s largest network of mortgage locations and bank branches, online, and via phone. With more than 7,000 Home Mortgage Consultants across the country, expanded digital capabilities, and products and programs for today’s market, Wells Fargo is committed to meeting Realtor® expectations and homebuyer needs. Focused on a culture of caring for communities, Wells Fargo is a proud sponsor of the Good Neighbor Awards which recognizes the extraordinary contributions made by Realtors® in the communities where we, together, live and serve.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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