The RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation (RRCF) is the charitable arm of RASM. It was founded in late 2020 as a way to consolidate RASM’s charitable efforts into one Foundation, providing funding for our three core areas:

  1. Housing-related non-profits in the Sarasota and Manatee region.
  2. College scholarships for members or their immediate family members in the community.
  3. Financial support for RASM members in crisis, such as family financial need resulting from the death of a REALTOR®, medical emergency or a hurricane.

In only its second full year since its establishment, the RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation has grown significantly in 2022, focusing heavily on building the amount in our fund. Let’s take a look at what we’ve accomplished in 2022 and where we’re heading.

Getting Focused

In July 2022, the Foundation Board of Directors created a Strategic Plan to guide the Foundation’s purpose and mission. The plan was adopted and approved by the RASM Board of Directors on July 13, 2022, outlining four main goals:

  1. Impact our Community. Increase support to our community through impactful donations and partnerships that support our three areas of focus.
  2. Increase Funds. Increase our capacity for giving through the fundraising efforts within the Association and the RRCF Fundraising Committee.
  3. Donor Relations. Grow and engage our community of donors by building meaningful relationships and recognizing their support within the community.
  4. Organizational Excellence. Advance our Foundation’s operational excellence through administrative systems and brand communications.

Impact our Community

We believe that everyone should have a safe place to call home and a community of which to be proud. This Foundation works to contribute to the future of real estate and our local community through charitable giving to local non-profits that fight against housing insecurities.

$35,000 DONATED TO HOUSING-RELATED CHARITIES

In Florida, 1 in 7 families spend more than half their income on housing. Florida also has the third-largest homeless population in the United States, with just under 28,000 reported in 2020. Our local housing-related charities are working every day to change these statistics. As of October 2022, six housing-related charities have been approved by the RRCF Board of Directors to receive funds from the Foundation. The six approved benefactors are:

  • Manatee County Habitat for Humanity
  • Habitat for Humanity Sarasota
  • Harvest House
  • Heroes Welcome Home
  • Everyday Blessings Springboard Program
  • Second Heart Homes

A Grants Task Force will kick off in 2023 to further increase our impact in the community. These task force volunteers will help identify additional nonprofits as well as ensure that the needs of our current benefactors are being met.

$10,000 DONATED TO MANATEE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

In mid-October, the RRCF Board of Directors approved a donation of $10,000 to Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. The $10,000 grant will go toward Manatee Habitat’s 2023 Hometown Heroes Build and the home will be in their next 16-home community, Poling Gardens. The local family supported is among the first few homeowners that will move into this community. In addition to the monetary contribution, the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee will also provide member volunteers to Manatee Habitat throughout the year in 2023.

$18,000 DONATED TO HEROES WELCOME HOME

Heroes Welcome Home is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization serving Veterans of the U.S. military. The nonprofit offers our military heroes financial assistance during the home-buying process, such as down payment assistance, home inspections, appraisals, etc. The Young Professionals Network helped raise money for RRCF Benefactor, Heroes Welcome Home, at their Celebrity Bartending event on June 28. The event successfully raised $18,000 for Heroes Welcome Home, which directly impacted the organization in their efforts to support our veterans.

$7,000 DONATED TO HARVEST HOUSE

The Commercial Real Estate Alliance selected Harvest House as their primary benefactor of the Annual Sporting Clays Tournament earlier this year. This event helped raise a $7,176 donation for the organization. Harvest House is a Sarasota nonprofit organization that works towards the development, preservation, and management of affordable housing. They serve homeless families and young adults with a history of incarceration and substance abuse, and our donations help to support their mission.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SARASOTA

On October 24, the Commercial Real Estate Alliance hosted their 21st Annual CREA Golf Tournament at the Sara Bay Country Club. The primary benefactor of this tournament is Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, and the final total of the funds raised will be announced later in November!

$34,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Sarasota and Manatee schools have over 27,000 students enrolled in high school, with 39% of Manatee County students and 37% of Sarasota County students who are considered economically disadvantaged. Whether students are looking to attend a public or private university, a community college, or a technical school, our Foundation supports the tuition costs through needs or merit-based scholarships.

The Association’s long-standing scholarship program now fits under the RRCF and will continue to grow as the Foundation does. In 2022, the RRCF was able to award 17 scholarships ($2,000 each) to local students, the most awarded in one year alone.

As a benefit to RASM members, eight of the 17 scholarships were awarded to members or children of RASM members, and the other nine scholarships were awarded to members of the community.

2022 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS:

  • Julianna Courville
  • Cameron Drown
  • Tabitha Hanely
  • Lexington Kahler
  • Abigail Koester
  • Samantha McLeod
  • Giacomo Mutti
  • Quinn O’Connor
  • Keile O’Dell
  • Liam Ordonez
  • Sophia Pearce
  • Noelle Prouty
  • Nina Prouty
  • Madison Scholten
  • Isabella Spangnolo
  • Olivia Sherry
  • Haley Sprague

HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS

In addition to all the giving we’ve done this year, our Foundation also stepped up to support RASM members who were greatly impacted by the devastation that Hurricane Ian left in our region. The RRCF continues to review applications from members in need at the time of writing this article.

These financial grants were funded in support by members who kindly donated to the RRCF Hurricane Relief Fund that was launched shortly after Hurricane Ian passed through Florida. We’d like to extend a special thanks to members who helped raise $1,500 (and counting) for the RRCF Hurricane Relief Fund.

INCREASE FUNDS

One of the primary objectives of the Foundation in 2022 has been to increase our capacity for giving through the fundraising efforts within the Association and the RRCF Fundraising Committee. Starting with only a small sum of money set aside for the Scholarship Program in 2020, RASM and RRCF Committees have been working hard to increase the available funds for our Foundation. Several initiatives have been set up to help the Foundation accrue funds over time, in addition to other important fundraising efforts set forth by the RRCF Fundraising Committee.

$69,200 RAISED THROUGH EVENTS

To raise funds for the RRCF, the Association has been actively hosting fundraising events all throughout the year designed to incorporate fun, networking, and charitable giving all in one. RASM REALTORS® are invested in our communities where we live, work, and play, and your generous donations of time and financial resources have enabled the RRCF to have a very successful year. All fundraising events, aside from RPAC fundraising, support the RRCF and our benefactors.

REALTOR® DAY RAISED $62,000!

In May 2022, RASM launched the first Annual REALTOR® Day: Name Your Game event, with all proceeds going directly to the RRCF. The all-day event consisted of four major sporting events: a Walk-a-thon held at Nathan Benderson Park, followed by a Golf Tournament, Pickleball Tournament, and a Tennis Tournament, with all events followed by an After Party held at the Palm Aire Country Club. With over 250 attendees, the successful event offered something for everyone and raised $62,200 for the Foundation.

20% OF FUNDRAISING EVENTS SUPPORT RRCF

In addition to supporting Harvest House at the Sporting Clays Tournament, Heroes Welcome Home at the Celebrity Bartending Event, and Habitat for Humanity Sarasota at the Golf Tournament this year; 20% of the proceeds from these three events went directly into the Foundation. Collectively, these events raised $6,990 for the Foundation in 2022. (Golf is not included in this total, the amount raised will be announced soon).

Earlier this year, at the recommendation of the RRCF Board of Directors, the RASM Board of Directors approved to increase the split of event proceeds distributed between the benefactor and the RRCF. Effective 2023, 50% of all funds raised at fundraising events will go directly to the Foundation, with the other 50% supporting a selected RRCF benefactor.

BUY-A-BRICK CAMPAIGN RAISES $8,500

Another way the RRCF has raised money this year is through the sale of donor bricks planned to pave the walkways at RASM South or RASM North. Individual members, firms, or Business Partner companies can purchase an engraved brick to memorialize their membership with RASM and to leave their legacy in the community through the Foundation. This year, the first round of bricks has been ordered and delivered to RASM for installment later this year, with the second order planned shortly after. All net proceeds of these bricks support the RRCF and its mission. In 2022, the Buy a Brick campaign raised a net income of $8,578 for the RRCF. Bricks will continue to be available for purchase for any member who is interested in supporting this cause.

Brick Donors to Date:

  • Jeff Arakelian
  • Tony Barrett
  • Michael Bruno
  • Jody Carlson
  • Bree & Ren Carotti
  • Pam Charron
  • Pam Charron, In Memory of Jim Soda
  • David Clapp
  • Michelle Crabtree
  • Jackie Deemer
  • Linda Formella
  • Sandy French
  • Cindy Greco
  • Amanda Guzman
  • Damien Hernandez
  • Tera Kiger
  • Lauren Kohl
  • David McClure
  • James Nivens
  • Denise Oyler
  • Maryellen Paterson
  • Derek Patti
  • Sally Rackey
  • Debi Reynolds
  • Maria Sasso
  • Cynthia Small
  • Diane Stirling
  • Jesse Sunday
  • Brian Tresidder
  • Kristin Triolo
  • Tony Veldkamp
  • Anna Williams
  • Amy Worth
  • RASM 2022 Leadership Academy
  • Barnes Walker, Cyndi Coey
  • Catalist Realty, David Crawford
  • Dirty Bert Tran, Deborah Mafera
  • NextHome Excellence, Alex Krumm
  • SRQ Premier, John Brink
  • Stellar MLS

$36,000 FROM MEMBER DUES CONTRIBUTIONS

The Foundation also generates funds through membership dues revenue, with $4 from every member being allocated directly into the Foundation. That additional $4 per member helped generate a total of $36,000 (and counting) this year! The Foundation Board of Directors will also be giving members the opportunity to increase their annual contribution, if they are interested, by adding a voluntary $20 donation to the Foundation on the 2023 membership invoices.

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

The RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, which means that donations are tax deductible. There are many ways to give, and no donation is too small.

AMAZONSMILE

Did you know that you can donate to the RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation by shopping on Amazon? Simply follow the instructions below to select the Foundation as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. They’ll donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization – no fees, no extra cost. So far this year, we’ve raised $120 from AmazonSmile eligible purchases.

How it works:

  1. Open the Amazon app on your phone
  2. Select the main menu and tap on “AmazonSmile” within Programs & Features
  3. Select “RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, Inc.” as your charity
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app

DONOR PROGRAM

Part of the RRCF Board of Directors’ strategic goals in 2023 will be to “improve the existing donor program” to meet our goal of growing and engaging our wonderful community of donors. Stay tuned for more information on how you can support the RRCF by becoming an exclusive donor.

THANK YOU

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to supporting the Foundation! The RRCF couldn’t do any of this life-changing work without your support. The good work we are doing throughout the year is thanks to our REALTOR® members and their generous donations of time, money, and giving spirit.

2022 RRCF Board of Directors

  • Alex Krumm, President
  • Tony Veldkamp, President-Elect
  • Brian Tresidder
  • Tony Barrett
  • Debi Reynolds
  • David Clapp
  • Ex officio, Jeff Arakelian, CEO & Corporate Security

2022 RRCF Fundraising Committee

  • Brandy Coffey, Chair
  • Brian Partie, Vice Chair
  • Amy Worth, REALTOR® Day Co-Chair
  • Deborah Urban, REALTOR® Day Co-Chair
  • Jessica Bow
  • Bailey Dempsey
  • Anita Lambert
  • Julia Montei
  • Mary Northrup
  • Natasha Selvaraj
  • David Short
  • Alfredda Smith Hurst
  • Mousa Wakileh
  • Meagan West

2022 RRCF Scholarship Committee

  • Nikki Goslin, Chair
  • Monique Geathers, Vice Chair
  • Brigette Marcus
  • Lindsay Nock
  • Phillip Pisano
  • Jeaneen Wiegand

This article was originally published in the November issue of ELEVATE Magazine.