LOCAL SHELTER-BASED CHARITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR A 2022 GRANT
Hamilton, ON (June 9, 2022) – The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) issued a cheque to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation (ORCF) for more than $200,000 in May – the largest single donation RAHB has made to the ORCF. The ORCF, funded by the Ontario Real Estate Association, has raised more than six million dollars for shelter-related organizations throughout the province on behalf of Ontario REALTORS® over the last 40 years. The donation from RAHB is earmarked for shelter-based charities in Hamilton, Burlington, Haldimand and Niagara North.
“The pandemic and skyrocketing housing prices in the RAHB market area highlighted the need for more support for shelter-based charities in our local communities. As a result, the RAHB board of directors decided last year to close out its scholarship program after reviewing its charitable giving policy and direct the remaining scholarship funds to the ORCF,” said 2022 RAHB President Lou Piriano. “RAHB has a long history of supporting and donating to charities in the RAHB market area – through direct contributions, the ORCF, or volunteering. RAHB members are thrilled to give back to our communities.”
Through monthly donations from members, RAHB was able to provide $41,676 to local charities through an ORCF grant in 2021. Charities that received funding last year include:
- Carpenter Hospice
- Good Shepherd Family Centre
- Hamilton Health Science Foundation
- Indwell Community Homes
- Joseph Brant Hospital
- March of Dimes Canada Non-Profit Housing Corporation
- Mark Preece Family House – Jason’s House
- Mission Services of Hamilton – Inasmuch House
- Neighbour to Neighbour
- Restoration Second Stage Homes
- The Salvation Army – Hamilton Booth Centre
- Shifra Home Inc.
- YWCA – Phoenix Place
In 2021, an additional $41,000 was raised by REALTOR® members to support local Habitat for Humanity builds through RAHB’s first-ever walk-a-thon. In addition, during REALTORS Care® Week in November, RAHB donated $5,000 to the Hagersville Food Bank, Burlington Food Bank and GBF Community Services and provided volunteer hours during a build for Habitat for Humanity Hamilton and the Good Shepherd.
RAHB has also responded to calls for help when it is needed. Most notably, in 2021, RAHB donated to the Red Cross for flood relief efforts in British Columbia and Newfoundland and this year, RAHB issued a $15,000 donation to the Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal to help offset the hardships caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
For the remainder of this year, RAHB has over $44,000 available to distribute to shelter-related registered charities in the RAHB market area through an ORCF grant. The ORCF defines shelter as a refuge, haven or protection that provides or improves quality of life from hunger, the elements, physical/psychological abuse, disabilities, and illness. Organizations that fit that definition are encouraged to contact RAHB to obtain a grant application before September 1, 2022.
RAHB is committed to supporting causes and organizations in their communities as well as others facing shelter emergencies in Canada and abroad.
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