For 11 years, the National Association of REALTORS® has given REALTORS® who have demonstrated a commitment to public service an opportunity to enhance their charitable work through the Volunteering Works Grant and Mentoring Program. The program, which matches mentors with REALTORS® who want to expand their community service outreach, is now seeking entries for 2020.
“I am incredibly proud of the cumulative impact that REALTORS® have on their communities in the U.S. and across the globe,” says NAR President Vince Malta, broker at Malta & Co., Inc., in San Francisco. “It’s wonderful to be able to support volunteers with expert mentoring resources so they can do even more to help their neighbors live better, more fulfilling lives.”
REALTORS® involved in charitable efforts with demonstratable growth potential are encouraged to apply. Five Volunteering Works recipients will earn a year of one-on-one mentoring from a member of NAR’s Good Neighbor Society and a $1,000 grant to put toward improvements in their community program. The society is comprised of past recipients of NAR’s Good Neighbor Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in community service.
Volunteering Works recipients are considered based on their dedication to their charitable project and its opportunity for growth when paired with an expert mentor. Ideal candidates should identify specific challenges they would like to address with the help of a mentor while outlining specific goals for the future of their community service project.
“Having access to Good Neighbor mentoring has allowed me to set new goals and begin broadening this program’s reach in our community,” says 2019 Volunteering Works mentoring recipient Michael Hunstad of Toys for Joy in Anoka, Minn. His mentor was 2017 Good Neighbor Award Winner Louise Lorenz McLean of RE/MAX Solutions in Merritt Island, Fla., co-founder of Space Coast Realtors® Charitable Foundation. “My mentorship with Louise has allowed my vision of expanding Toys for Joy into a year-round charity to become a reality.”
This year’s entry deadline is Feb. 28, 2020. For a Volunteering Works entry form, visit nar.realtor/gna and click on “Nominate.” Applicants must be NAR members.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage sponsors Volunteering Works.
