The Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS ® (SWMAR) recently celebrated their sixth annual holiday luncheon and fundraising auction. The REAL Help Foundation was established in 2014 and has been the Association’s charity of choice for this fundraising event since 2023. This program helps families in Southwest Michigan who are in times of crisis and has been a heartfelt priority for REALTORS ® and ancillary service members of the Association.
Association members knew there were other charities in need. So instead of just one charity, they added the President’s Choice Charity to the event. Lisa Wright-Moore, 2024 President of the Association, selected The Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition (BCSPC) as the President's charity, whose mission is to connect the people of Berrien County to the information and resources they need for emotional wellness, thereby preventing suicide.
Members, seeing the perfect fit to fulfill their goal of giving back to their communities, eagerly participated and challenged each other during the silent and live auctions for both charities. By the end of the luncheon, the total raised was $15,647.58, which was then split between both charities.
Throughout the year, REALTORS ® maintain their challenge to help local families in the region. The Association’s REAL Help Foundation is a permanent local fund with the purpose of providing small emergency grants to families in the region as immediate help in times of crisis.
The REAL Help Foundation committee members include Lori Bennett, Michelle Alger, Lauren Potts, Jennifer Strzyzykowski, Josh Frazee, Jade Smith & Ted Strawbridge. The 2024 Holiday Fundraiser Committee included Diane Bennett, Emily Smith, Angela Nutto, Aubrey Schmidt-Agens, Carolee Dalrymple, David Shepherd, Devon Johnson, Jennifer Postello, Justine Sater, Kim O’Donoghue, Lisa Wright Moore, Lori Bennett & Tom Angelo.
All committee members are REALTORS ® or Affiliate Members of Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS ® .
ABOUT
The Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS ® , Inc. is a professional trade association for real estate licensees who are members of the National Association of REALTORS ® and ancillary service providers for the real estate industry in Allegan, Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties. The Association can be contacted at 269-983-6375 or through their website at www.swmar.com.
The REAL Help Foundation was started in 2014 with the goal of building a permanent local fund for the purpose of providing emergency grants to families in Southwest Michigan as immediate help in times of crisis.
Twenty-two concerned citizens met over lunch to discuss the need for suicide prevention in Berrien County and what could be done. Since that time, the involvement of many primary interest groups in the community such as Riverwood, Lakeland HealthCare, Berrien County Health Department, Berrien RESA, and others has been gained. As of the summer of 2014, the group officially became an advisory committee of Berrien County Mental Health Authority (Riverwood) and can receive tax-deductible contributions. Meetings are open to the public. They are normally held virtually on the third Thursday of the month from noon to 1 pm. For contact information, visit berriencares.org.
