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Five selfless real estate professionals who are working to expand small-scale charitable efforts in their communities have been chosen as recipients of the National Association of REALTORS®’ 13th annual Volunteering Works program, earning a $1,000 seed grant and a year of one-on-one mentoring from members of the Good Neighbor Society.
The recipients have shown great devotion to their volunteer endeavors over the last difficult year and demonstrate the potential for improvement with the help of an expert mentor, NAR President Charlie Oppler said in a statement. “Amid the changes and challenges that have been introduced into all our lives over the past year, these amazing recipients have continued to step forward in ways that leave a lasting, positive mark on our world,” he said. “I am so proud to support these volunteers and their important work, which illustrates the commitment REALTORS® make to their neighbors and neighborhoods.”
The Volunteering Works program has provided crucial support to many real estate pros with a community service mission, including 2020 recipient Janice Overbeck, founder of JO Gives Inc., in Marietta, Ga., a nonprofit organization focused on animal activism. “The Volunteering Works grant helped us reach our goal of ensuring thousands of dogs and cats across Mexico and Nicaragua were spayed and neutered,” Overbeck said. “My mentor, 2018 Good Neighbor Joy Nelson, inspired me to create a video to explain our mission.”
Meet this year’s recipients of the Volunteering Works program, which is sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Lending.
Eduardo Aguire, Corcoran Global Living, San Francisco
Seven years ago, Aguire co-founded Designing a Difference, a nonprofit organization that provides job opportunities to people who struggle in traditional employment and professional settings. Aguire will receive guidance from 2020 Good Neighbor Linda Brown of Amax Real Estate in Springfield, Mo., who will bring new ideas for growth and help implement a strategic plan for DaD.
Ryan Gable, StartingPoint Realty, Schaumburg, Ill.
Gable founded Bikes & Music Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides bicycles and musical instruments to local children in need. Gable will receive guidance from 2020 Good Neighbor Eric Baucom of Coastlands Real Estate Group in Ventura, Calif., who will develop a strategic plan for the nonprofit and help conceptualize and execute various fundraisers for Gable’s group to host.
Kathleen “Kadi” Tubbs, Randall J. Hendricks, Seminole, Fla.
What started as her daughter’s school project in 2015—sending care packages to men and women stationed overseas—grew into Tubbs’ nonprofit organization Operation: Military Matters. Today, the group has sent over 1,200 care packages to American troops across the globe. Tubbs will receive guidance from 2010 Good Neighbor Wendy Rocca of Keller Williams Realty Boston in Lexington, Mass., who will help Tubbs reduce shipping costs and increase the number of care packages she can distribute each year.
Jane Page Thompson, Carolina Real Estate Company, Aiken, S.C.
In 2018, Thompson, EPRO, PSA, C2EX, co-founded Blessing Boxes of Aiken, a countywide project that builds, stocks, and distributes food boxes to local community members in need. She will receive guidance from 2017 Good Neighbor Debbie Berg of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in Birmingham, Mich., who will help increase awareness of the project and develop a mapping and volunteer database.
Gloria Vinson, Landco Properties Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
In 2017, Vinson founded The Vinson Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that supports families who have lost a loved one to suicide, helping fund professional counseling and funeral services. She will receive guidance from 2020 Good Neighbor Gail Doxie of RE/MAX Realty in Ft. Myers, Fla., who will help Vinson find methods to build support and raise money for mental health treatment in her community.