A new chapter for social impact will unfold for members of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), as REALTORS Care® Days takes the stage in 2024. The initiative evolved from REALTORS Care® Week, a national volunteering initiative where for one week each year, together, REALTORS® contributed to organizations that serve some of the most vulnerable members of their communities.
The new REALTORS Care® Days program is designed to offer greater flexibility and unite the volunteerism efforts of REALTORS®, with a dedicated focus on housing and shelter-related causes.
Boards and associations across Canada can now register their spot for a REALTORS Care® Day, tailored to suit the unique needs of each community coast to coast.
To celebrate the launch of this program, CREA hosted their inaugural REALTORS Care® Day on January 24. Members of CREA’s board of directors spent the day at Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa’s Kemptville Korners build site, where they tallied a combined 54 hours of volunteer work. Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa’s Kemptville Korners development consists of 15 affordable townhomes and stacked townhomes, including accessible, barrier-free units that 64 individuals, including over 30 children, will call home.
Throughout the day, the REALTOR® volunteers helped get affordable housing units ready for families looking to lay their roots in the Ottawa region by completing several tasks, including strapping ceilings and preparing the homes for siding.
“CREA’s board of directors was thrilled to help Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa get these affordable homes ready for 15 families,” shares CREA chair-elect, James Mabey. “Today was a very rewarding experience, and I encourage REALTORS® across the country to volunteer their time at a REALTORS Care® Day when they get the opportunity.”
Each REALTORS Care® Day will offer a snapshot into how REALTORS® are giving back to local communities. As it was with REALTORS Care® Week events, CREA will highlight the volunteerism efforts at REALTORS Care® Days across Canada, but members can expect to now see these stories year-round.
Previous REALTORS Care® Week initiatives have included painting affordable housing units, preparing care packages for those experiencing homelessness, bringing the holiday spirit to families seeking medical care far from home, distributing meals to community members in need, collecting essentials for shelter clients and raising much-needed funds, among others.
To ensure a seamless transition, CREA’s REALTORS Care® team has set up program supports for boards and associations. This includes a bursary to alleviate REALTORS Care® Day-related expenses, a comprehensive guidebook for planning volunteering days and marketing assets to support sharing the experience and local impact stories with the broader REALTOR® community.
While REALTORS Care® Days can happen any time of the year, to officially participate in the national program, boards and associations must register for their chosen day. For more information, please visit REALTORSCareDays.ca or contact REALTORSCare@crea.ca.
