By Susan Harrison, Senior Vice President, EXIT Realty Corp. International
EXIT Realty Associates are rooted in the communities they serve and are often the catalysts for bringing their neighbors together to serve the common good.
When Lauren Puryear, CEO of For the Love of Others, first learned of the matching program that EXIT Realty Corp. International offers, she was elated. Ms Puryear heads just one of the many community organizations benefiting from the selfless work of EXIT Associates like Januari Coats, Broker/Owner of EXIT Realty Leading Edge in Stafford, Virginia.
“Because of the financial contributions made on Januari’s behalf and EXIT’s matching program, we were able to support over 850 children with backpacks full of school supplies, clothes, shoes, and personal protective equipment for the academic school year,” she said.
Across the U.S. and Canada, the fundraising activities of EXIT Associates are amplified by the company’s philanthropic initiative called The Spirit of EXIT Dollar-for-Dollar Matching Program. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to our charitable fund. Through the Program, EXIT offices and Associates can raise money for local, approved, registered charities and apply to EXIT’s head office to have those funds matched from the company’s pool of funds.
Some of the many organizations receiving a boost from Spirit of EXIT include those in the support sector like food banks and homeless shelters, health and wellness organizations such as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Pathways to Independence, those focused on children such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Make-A-Wish, animal welfare groups like Cannonsville Critters and those supporting our veterans on both sides of the border such as Wounded Warriors Canada and Operation Combat Bikesaver (OCB), to name but a few.
“About a year ago, Mark Keene, a REALTOR® in our office, approached me about OCB,” said Jaclyn D’Andrea, Broker/Owner, of EXIT Realty Solutions in Griffith, Indiana. “It provides a workshop, general safe haven, and comradery-filled stomping ground for veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, and/or depression. Over the past five years they’ve been operating in Crown Point Indiana, they’ve had a 100% success rate of preventing suicide with every veteran they’ve worked with.”
Mark was determined to help OCB and hoped to raise $2,500 by having the brokerage sponsor a motorcycle run, but when the EXIT Realty Solutions team caught wind of his plans, the initiative blossomed into Home of the Brave Fun Day, including not only the motorcycle run, but also a 5K run, raffles and sponsorships. They reached out to the Spirit of EXIT for support and the seeds of a $2,500 dream grew to a combined $26,425 donation to OCB.
“The Home of the Brave Fun Day was a true community event. It not only raised money for Operation Combat Bikesaver, but our organizational mission also gained huge awareness. It has been our honor to meet Jaclyn and her EXIT team, and the support and encouragement from them, as well as the funds, will allow our organization to continue to thrive. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for keeping our dream alive,” said Nicole Gladstone, Chairman of the National Board of Directors, Operation Combat Bikesaver.
We as a corporation are grateful for the transactions closed by our Associates company-wide that allow us to proudly support them in their efforts.
