How Calgary and area REALTORS^® gave back in 2018

It's been a big year for the CREB® Charitable Foundation, as events, fundraisers and dozens of volunteer initiatives filled the annual calendar. To cap the year off, the foundation announced a $1-million, three-year commitment to Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta's newest development, the Silvercreek Legacy build.

The Silvercreek development is Habitat for Humanity's largest Calgary build to date and will see 32 townhomes built in the northwest community of Silver Springs. The townhomes will be sold to low-income, working families over the next three years.

"Affordable housing is at a crisis level in Calgary and our focus is to help working families realize their home ownership dreams," said Alyssa Campos, CREB® Charitable Foundation president. "REALTORS® are in a unique position to understand the importance of a home and being part of Habitat's largest build to date is extremely important to us."

Community impact isn't just measured in dollars and cents, which is why the foundation also believes in the value of sweat equity. Numerous Habitat for Humanity build days and additional volunteer opportunities take place each year.

"Affordable housing is at a crisis level in Calgary and our focus is to help working families realize their home ownership dreams." - Alyssa Campos, CREB® Charitable Foundation president

On build days, Realtors exchange their business clothes for safety goggles and steel-toe boots. Two notable annual build days included Habitat for Humanity's Women Build and CREB®'s Golden Hammer Challenge.

The real estate women of CREB® showed their strength at the Women Build by aiding the construction of a Habitat for Humanity five-plex in the community of Bowness. It was a tough but exhilarating day, and in the end, the group contributed nearly 100 volunteer hours.

Hammers and hard hats came out again for CREB®'s Golden Hammer Challenge, where work continued on the Bowness five-plex. Between driving nails and setting screws, two teams of Calgary Realtors completed a series of fun team challenges that saw them tossing hammers and completing safety drills in pursuit of the coveted Golden Hammer.

The CREB® Charitable Foundation is a unified force of Realtors making a positive impact in the communities where they live and work.

Officially established in 1987, the foundation was formed by a small group of Realtors as a way for CREB® members to give back to the community in a tangible and meaningful way. To date, the foundation has donated $6.6 million dollars, impacting more than 150 local community organizations.