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WASHINGTON (August 28, 2019) – The National Association of Realtors® has honored 10 Realtors®, members of the National Association of Realtors®, as finalists for its 2019 Good Neighbor Awards. This award honors Realtors® who have made a positive impact on their communities through extraordinary volunteer service.
This year marks the 20th year the Good Neighbor Awards program has recognized Realtor® volunteers. During that time, $1.3 million in grants has been awarded to more than 200 nonprofits led by Realtors®. Their impact has been felt in 40 states, 15 countries and in Puerto Rico, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable fundraising and incalculable hours of volunteer time.
The Realtors® being honored have donated their time, money and passion to enrich the lives of the people in their communities.
“We are honored to have this group of extraordinary people representing the Good Neighbor Awards as we celebrate the 20-year milestone,” says NAR President John Smaby, Edina, Minnesota. “They inspire us and epitomize 'who we are' as Realtors®.”
On October 2, five winners will be named from among the 10 finalists. Winners will receive a $10,000 grant and national media exposure for their efforts, including a feature in the November/December issue of REALTOR® Magazine. The winners will also receive travel expenses to the 2019 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in San Francisco, where they will accept an award in front of thousands of their peers. On October 2, the remaining five finalists will also be named honorable mentions and receive a $2,500 grant in recognition of their work.
“The Good Neighbor finalists inspire and motivate action for the greater good,” said Tracey Fellows, acting CEO of realtor.com, the primary sponsor of the Good Neighbor Awards. “Realtor.com is proud to shine a spotlight on these Realtors®, who truly bring the value of community home.”
The public is invited to vote for their favorites of the 10 finalists. The top three vote-getters will win bonus grants of $2,500, $1,250 and $1,250, respectively, for their nonprofit organizations. Last year's Web Choice Favorite voting program, which is sponsored and funded by realtor.com®, generated a record of more than 165,000 votes. Cast your vote at realtor.com/goodneighbor between August 28 and September 28.
“The Good Neighbor Awards reflect the values we share with the Realtor® family,” said Fellows. “This year’s finalists represent the industry at its best — making meaningful connections that count for people, families and communities.”
The 10 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists Are
Sabrina Cohen
The Sabrina Cohen Foundation
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Miami Beach, Fla.
Fourteen years after Cohen suffered a spinal cord injury, she founded a nonprofit dedicated to funding adaptive fitness and recreational activities for people with disabilities. She created Miami Beach’s first inclusive playground, runs monthly Adaptive Beach Days and spearheads a $10 million capital campaign to build a state-of-the-art adaptive recreation center.
Rosemary Dutter
Dutter House Inc.
Century 21 Affiliated, Beloit, Wis.
To honor her beloved grandson who died at age 12, Dutter gives parents of severely disabled children a break from their daily challenges, transforming a local house into a safe, cheery and kid-friendly place. While she lovingly cares for these children each evening, their parents have time to run errands, spend quality time with their other children or simply take time for themselves.
Bruce Johnson, ABR®, CRS, GREEN
SickKids Foundation/Children's Miracle Network
RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach Inc., Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada
In memory of his daughter, Alyssa, who died in 1998 at 20 days old, Johnson has traveled more than 37,000 miles across North and South America on his motorcycle. Johnson has raised more than $600,000 for Children’s Miracle Network, which benefits the SickKids hospital in Toronto where his daughter was treated, and a network of children’s hospitals.
Nora Partlow
Neighborhood Health
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Alexandria, Va.
Partlow began supporting the neighborhood medical clinic when she noticed patients waiting in her coffee shop. As the daughter of immigrants, she understood the great need for affordable healthcare. Her greatest contribution is her ability to connect donors, patients and volunteers. In 21 years, she has raised $550,000 and recruited hundreds of supporters.
Kristy Payne
Fostering Sweet Dreams Foundation
Keller Williams, Edmond, Okla.
As a foster parent, Payne learned about the needs of families who may suddenly be asked to care for a child who is removed from a relative's home. She provides necessities like beds and car seats to help bridge the gap for families working to collect all the resources required for placement. Since 2016, Payne has helped 2,000 children across 31 Oklahoma counties.
Mark Solomon
Veterans Community Project
Keller Williams, Kansas City, Mo. and Longmont, Colo.
Solomon co-founded a nonprofit to eliminate veteran homelessness through a “tiny house" development. The neighborhood includes an outreach center where any veteran can access medical and mental health referrals, employment assistance, and addiction counseling and treatment. With the Kansas City location nearly complete, Solomon is helping to expand the cause nationwide.
Bahar Soomekh
Angel City Sports
Nourmand & Associates, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Soomekh and her husband founded a nonprofit to help people with physical disabilities stay active, renew their spirits and connect with a supportive community. Inspired by her son, Ezra, who uses a leg prosthesis, Soomekh runs athletic clinics and competitions for adults and children with disabilities. The 2019 Angel City Games drew 1,500 spectators to cheer on 430 athletes.
Kimberly Strub
Schurig Center For Brain Injury Recovery
Coldwell Banker, Mill Valley, Calif.
Strub leads a nonprofit that improves the lives of people with brain injuries and their families through therapy, support groups and social and recreational activities. In a decade, she has raised $1 million, tripled both the annual budget and the number of people served, and helped set up a concussion protocol for children in the Marin County schools network.
Dale Taylor, ABR®, GRI
South Suburban PADS
RE/MAX 10, New Lenox, Ill.
For 19 years, Taylor has spent nearly every Monday night with the 35 homeless men who gather at the shelter site he manages just south of Chicago. From serving food and mopping floors to making decisions as a board member and raising nearly $3 million, Taylor calls his volunteerism a “divine calling.”
Paul Wyman, ABR®
Turning Point
The Wyman Group, Kokomo, Ind.
When he saw his community struggling with opioid addiction, Wyman called a county-wide summit to find solutions. This summit led Wyman to found a nonprofit that connects people affected by addiction with the services required for recovery. Instead of red tape, people now find a central resource to access help. Turning Point helped 1,400 clients during the last year.
The National Association of Realtors®' Good Neighbor Awards is supported by primary sponsor realtor.com® and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Nominees were judged on their personal contribution of time as well as financial and material contributions to benefit their cause.
Realtor.com®, The Home of Home Search, offers the most MLS-listed for-sale listings among national real estate portals, and access to information, tools and professional expertise that help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. Through its Opcity platform, realtor.com® uses data science and machine learning to connect consumers with a real estate professional based on their specific buying and selling needs. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today is a trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers by making all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS®. For more information, visit realtor.com®.
Wells Fargo Home Lending is one of the nation’s leading originators and the leading servicer of residential mortgages, offering home loans to consumers through the country’s largest network of mortgage locations and bank branches, online, and via phone. With more than 4,400 Home Mortgage Consultants across the country, expanded digital capabilities, and products and programs for today’s market, Wells Fargo is committed to meeting Realtor® expectations and homebuyer needs. Focused on paving a path to stability and financial success for underserved communities, Wells Fargo is a proud sponsor of both the Good Neighbor Awards and Volunteering Works, both of which recognize the extraordinary contributions made by Realtors® in the communities where we, together, live and serve.
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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