Gregg Bamford, recipient of the Canadian Realtors Care Award 2021
In every real estate office across Canada, there’s always a REALTOR® willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it most. This helping hand takes many forms. It could be volunteering at the local shelter to provide comfort to those experiencing homelessness, or they could be fighting food insecurity by giving their time at the local food bank, or even providing guidance and support to at-risk youth.
REALTORS® give back to their communities in countless ways and more often than not, do it quietly, behind closed doors. Now is your opportunity to give this REALTOR® the recognition they deserve for the positive impact they’re making in their communities.
For the eighth year, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is proudly calling for nominations for the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award. REM is excited to be back as the media sponsor for this award.
Launched in 2016, the national award celebrates REALTORS® whose charitable accomplishments have left a lasting impact and inspire others. Last year, 47 REALTORS® across Canada were recognized with nominations.
CREA is asking nominators to send in uplifting stories of the REALTORS® who do the most for their fellow community members.
Those interested in submitting a nomination may do so at REALTORSCare.ca. Any CREA member in good standing, that aren’t members of CREA’s Board of Directors and it’s Environmental, Social, and Governance Committee, can be nominated.
Nominators will need to complete the nomination form, provide a history of the REALTORS® charitable work and highlight the positive difference the REALTOR® in their community is making, and whose impact inspires others.
Alongside the nomination form, nominators need to submit at least one letter of recommendation from the past year, from a representative of a registered charity supported by the nominee. They also need to include at least one piece of supporting documentation which can be, but is not limited to, media coverage, photographs, or social media posts.
The winner of the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award is revealed at CREA’s Annual General Meeting. The winner, and a guest, are flown into Ottawa, where they’ll be handed the award on-stage in front of hundreds of their peers. Their inspirational story is then shared nationwide in celebration of the remarkable commitment they’ve made to their community. CREA will also donate $5,000 to the recipient’s charity of choice in their honour.
The past recipients of the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award have all made substantial impacts in their own, unique way:
Lorna Hamm (2022) has dedicated the last 50 years to improving the lives of others in Calgary, Alberta, through volunteering for countless charitable initiatives, many centred on children’s health and well-being.
Gregg Bamford (2021) is an experienced volunteer, whose enthusiasm for bettering the lives of others in his community of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan inspired him to create One Small Step, an online platform that shares the real-time needs of non-profits with potential donors.
Ron Antalek (2020) used his leadership and philanthropic efforts to help transform mental health services in his community of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, through the creation of the Antalek Family Psychiatric Unit at Ridge Meadows Hospital.
Geoff and Regan Archambault (2019) are board leaders and community builders who have made an indelible impact on many local Winnipeg, Manitoba charities, including the Concordia Foundation and K.I.D.S. (Kenya Initiative for Development and Sustainability Inc.).
Carolyn Swinson (2018) of Toronto, Ontario turned personal tragedy into a legacy of helping others and advocating for safer roads across the country as a long-time volunteer with MADD Canada.
Laura-Leah Shaw (2017) is a passionate animal rights advocate and a tireless volunteer who hand-delivers food and other goods to those in need in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Vince Mirabelli (2016) raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities close to his heart and made a positive impact on the lives of children and families in his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
CREA is accepting nominations for the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award 2023 Proudly Presented by REALTOR.ca until December 2. More information on the award, as well as the nomination form, can be found here. CREA’s REALTORS Care® team is also available to answer questions and can be reached at realtorscare@crea.ca.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations. Our membership includes more than 130,000 real estate brokers, agents and salespeople, working through 90 real estate boards and associations across Canada.
REALTOR®. Member of The Canadian Real Estate Association and more.
