Realtors from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board are challenging their colleagues, and the public, to help raise $100,000 for the Realtors Care Blanket drive.
This year’s Realtors Care Blanket Drive fundraiser has been extended to November 29 and is raising money to help victims of the recent extreme weather in B.C. So far, the campaign has collectively raised just over $80,000.
“We had to do something after seeing our communities devastated by floods and landslides,” says Taylor Biggar, REBGV chair. “Pivoting the Blanket Drive to help flood victims and show how much Realtors care about their communities was our first step in a co-ordinated response to support those who need it most.”
Proceeds from this year’s Blanket Drive fundraiser will go to the Canadian Red Cross British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal. This money will support the Red Cross’s relief, recovery, resiliency, as well as risk reduction activities in the affected areas at both the individual and community levels.
Beyond the Blanket Drive, Realtors from across the Lower Mainland have banded together in a number of ways to help in the relief efforts. Since the rains subsided, Realtors have chartered helicopters to make over 40 trips to get food to displaced residents, made food and monetary donations, and have even driven pumper trucks throughout the night to help in areas with overwhelmed sewage and drainage systems.
“These stories make me proud to be a part of our profession,” says Biggar. “This kind of direct action makes a real, tangible difference to our fellow British Columbian’s lives.”
You can make a donation to the Realtors Care Blanket Drive fundraiser online through the official Charitable Impact page. With donations of $5 or more, you’ll get a tax receipt.
In addition to this year’s financial donation campaign, the Blanket Drive is also collecting donations of blankets, sleeping bags, warm winter clothing and new socks and underwear for those most in need.
The donations are then sorted and delivered to charities and organizations in the same area in which they were collected. Items they require include blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothing including coats, jeans, pants, sweaters, scarves, gloves, mitts, hats; new socks and new underwear. The donations can be dropped off at one of the 100 plus participating real estate offices – click here for the list.
