Florida Realtors® CEO Margy Grant was slightly choked up when she expressed her sincere appreciation to Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS® CEO William Glenn East as he called her on the phone to inform her that a $100,000 donation to Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund was on its way.
Her gratitude was also echoed by Florida Realtors® President Christina Pappas after she learned of the benevolent contribution.
“People across Florida, especially along the Southwest Florida coast, are beginning the long process of recovery and rebuilding after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian,” said Pappas. “As always, Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund stands ready to help our members and others in their efforts. We deeply appreciate the generous donation from the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors® (NEFAR) and know the difference it will make in the struggle to recover and rebuild.”
The six-figure donation was made through NEFAR’s Charitable Foundation on behalf of all NEFAR members. Its purpose was to assist fellow REALTORS® whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Ian.
“The $100,000 donation from the Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS® Charitable Foundation to the Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund really means a lot to us at NEFAR,” said NEFAR 2022 President-elect Diana Galavis. “The fund was started by one of our own, past NEFAR President and 1992 Florida Realtors® President Russell Grooms. And our very own CEO, Glenn East, has chaired the Disaster Relief Foundation in the past as well. It is an honor to be able to give $100,000 to this very important Disaster Relief Fund,” she said.
The Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund was formed as a trust in the state of Florida in August 1992, and since then it has been assisting REALTORS® and their employees as well as local associations and staff who have experienced damage to their primary residences or offices that was caused by natural disasters. The concept of REALTORS® helping REALTORS® and their families in times of need is what the charity is all about. It is a form of giving and receiving within the greater Florida REALTOR® family.
Donations to the Disaster Relief Fund may be completed securely online with a credit card. Or, if you prefer to mail in a tax-deductible donation, please make your check payable to "Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund, attention Dave Garrison," and send the check to:
Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund
PO Box 725025
Orlando, FL 32782-5025
For those in the REALTOR® family who need help, applications to the fund are now open, especially in the wake of Hurricane Ian. There are two form options to apply for assistance online, one for individual assistance and the other for brokers in the event of damage to their real estate offices.
“We are so happy to be able to help with a donation to our friends and REALTOR® family in Southwest and Central Florida who have been affected by Hurricane Ian,” said Galavis. “This monster storm has really shown us how we can all come together as well as the importance of our extended REALTOR® family in times of trouble. NEFAR is very happy that it was able to help in this way.”
