Commercial PropertyRealtors, Vendors Rally For Hurricane Relief
From across the country, Realtor organizations and vendors such as a la mode, inc are rallying to provide relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
As it did after Sept, 11, 2001, to New York families and again recently to the Tsunami victims across the world, the National Association of Realtors" REALTORS® Relief Foundation is donating cash to help victims. For Katrina"s victims, the organization is donating $150,000 in cash, which will be split equally between the disaster recovery operations of the state Realtors associations in the three states.
The NAR is also giving $1 million specifically to help Realtors.
"Over 40,000 Realtors have been affected," says Steve Cook, vice president of public affairs for the NAR. "Katrina has been the worst disaster in history as far as the number of Realtors who have lost everything, or are unable to do business. They will have a difficult time getting back on their feet."
No stranger to disaster relief itself, the California Association of Realtors is also donating $30,000 to be equally divided among the three state Realtor organizations hurricane relief efforts in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
The C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund was created in 2003, initially to help REALTORS® and local Association staff who had been affected by the Southern California wildfires that year. The Fund has since been used to mitigate the effects of other disasters impacting the Realtor community nationwide.
"It is with great distress that California REALTORS® are witnessing the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," said C.A.R. President Jim Hamilton. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow Realtors and the citizens of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. It is our hope that these funds will aid those who need shelter, and will help Realtors rebuild not just their homes but their careers, as the recovery process begins."
Cook says he was amazed when he heard that software and online services provider a la mode, inc. announced that it would match the Realtor relief donation of $150,000, and that founder and Chairman, Dave Biggers, said he will ask all of the company"s clients to donate to the American Red Cross through the a la mode website. Biggers told Cook he will personally match the total contribution up to $250,000.
"These are our clients, our neighbors, and our friends, and we intend to do all we can to help. I truly hope our users donate as much as possible, so I can give the entire $250,000," Biggers said. "And if the response is overwhelming, I"ll be happy to go farther. Living in Oklahoma City, through bombings as well as devastating tornados, I know what sort of hospitality the nation, and this industry, extends during a disaster."
As a leading developer of appraisal, agent, mortgage, and inspection tools, a la mode has a large number of clients in the areas affected. The company is graciously deferring all fees and payments of any kind for its thousands of clients in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, for as long as is necessary, says the company.
"We are tremendously grateful for a la mode"s support," said Cook. "The NAR and a la mode both encourage other businesses and participants in the real estate industry to give generously as well."
Information on the National Association of Realtors" efforts for Katrina relief can be found at the organization"s website.
Information on a la mode, inc"s pledge information and dollar-matching can be found at alamode.com/katrina.
Individual contributions to the hurricane relief effort also can be made to the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund. To make a tax-deductible donation, make checks payable to the California Community Foundation, and write "C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund" on the "memo" line. Send checks to:
California Community Foundation
445 S. Figueroa St. #3400
Los Angeles, CA 90071-1638.
To make donations directly to the impacted states, checks made payable to the state disaster relief funds can be sent to the following addresses:
Alabama Realtor Disaster Relief Fund
P.O. Box 4070
Montgomery, AL 36103
Louisiana Realtors Association Relief Fund
P.O. Box 147800
Baton Rouge, LA, 70898
Mississippi Realtor Hurricane Relief Fund
P. O. Box 321000
Jackson, MS 39232