Florida Realtors Donates $500K to NAR’s Realtor Relief Foundation

ORLANDO, Fla. – Reaching out to help seems to be part of a Realtor’s DNA, whether it’s organizing a food drive or helping to rebuild communities after a hurricane. In that spirit, Florida Realtors® has donated $500K to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Realtor Relief Foundation (RRF) to help it prepare for the future.

“We do a tremendous amount of charitable work behind the scenes,” says Florida Realtors CEO Margy Grant. “It’s part of the Realtor heart and part of the Realtor family. To honor the 20th anniversary of its Realtor Relief Foundation, NAR has implemented a campaign to establish a sustainable reserve fund to ensure that RRF is always ready to help when disaster strikes. Demonstrating how much our Realtor members care, Florida Realtors Leadership and Executive Committee generously approved a one-time contribution of $500,000 to the Realtor Relief Foundation to help support their mission of helping those in need during times of crisis.”

RRF was launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In the 20 years since, the generosity and support of NAR’s members and partners, and its state and local associations, has enabled RRF to distribute more than $33 million to help people affected by natural disasters in 39 states and U.S. territories. NAR covers 100% of administrative expenses – every dollar donated goes directly to victims of disaster.

“I’m always so proud of how Realtors respond when someone needs a helping hand,” says Florida Realtors President Cheryl Lambert. “Our members believe in strong communities. They volunteer their time, talent and labor to give back in so many ways, whether it’s organizing food and supply drives, raising money for a good cause or helping to rebuild following a hurricane. As the largest state association in the nation, Florida Realtors is honored to stand with NAR and support the Realtor Relief Foundation as it shifts to this new sustainable way of raising funds. We know that other Realtor organizations will join in this worthwhile campaign, too.”

In its current state, RRF is distributing funds almost as quickly as they are received, according to NAR. When a major disaster occurs, the Foundation promptly mobilizes its outreach efforts and turns to NAR members and other constituents for financial support. While this has produced meaningful results, it also results in uncertainty about the extent to which RRF will be able to provide financial aid for any given disaster.

NAR officials note that RRF grants nearly $1.7 million on average every year to help those struggling after hurricanes, flooding, wildfires and other crises. The ultimate goal? To never say “no” to those in need during a time of disaster.

© Florida Realtors®