Virtual REALTOR® Event Raises Real Money For Food Bank

Press release from the Bay East Association of REALTORS®:

August 10, 2020

During July, real estate professionals who patriciate in the weekly meetings of the Alameda Inforum and Marketing Meeting, Real Estate Alliance of Livermore, Valley Real Estate Network, Central County Marketing Group and Tri-Cities Marketing Group raised more than $6,000 for the Alameda County Food Bank through a “virtual” food drive.

“Virtual food drives are a fun and convenient ways to raise money for the Food Bank,” said REALTOR® June Burckhardt, who is also a member of the Bay East Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors. Burkhardt said, “They save folks a trip to the store, and because of the food banks purchasing power and efficient distribution, a virtual food drive provides more food than a traditional food drive maximizing the amount of food a dollar can provide.”

Burckhardt explained that the participating REALTORS® reached out to other real estate professionals, clients and even family members for donations. “This was an amazing collaborative effort with the marketing groups. We have seen and heard about the difficulties families are facing due to COVID-19. The need that families have for food is far greater now than ever,” Burkhardt said.

Each of the weekly REALTOR® groups met and exceeded their fundraising goal. Burckhardt said the total amount raised was not the only measure of success. “Every dollar raised is worth $7 in food,” Burckhardt said. “Our goal was $4,900 and we raised more than $6,000 which means almost $50,000 in food.”

Burckhardt said, “The food that is purchased are the items that are so desperately needed such as perishables including foods like cheeses, milks, dairy and meat.”

Katherine Avila, Food and Fund Drive Coordinator for Alameda County Community Food Bank said, “This is the largest response that the food bank has gotten from the real estate community in Alameda county in the eight years I’ve worked with the Food Bank. It will take all of us to step up to help and that’s exactly what this food drive has done.”

Avila was so impressed by the success of this virtual event that she will use it as a template for working with other groups.

About the Bay East Association of REALTORS®
The Bay East Association of REALTORS® is a professional trade association serving more than 5,500 residential and commercial real estate professionals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area by providing programs and services to enhance their ability to conduct business with integrity and competence. Bay East offers access to the Multiple Listing Service, professional development training, advocacy to protect private property rights and promote home ownership and a variety of networking opportunities and events.

This press release was produced by the Bay East Association of REALTORS®. The views expressed here are the author's own.