Canada’s Only Charity REALTOR® Referral Network Makes First Donation

May 20, 2012 - PRLog -- GIVE’s pilot donation of $500 was made to Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver. Retired real estate agent Wayne Helfrich directed the purchase of his townhouse in False Creek through GIVE Group, facilitating the donation to his favourite local non-profit.  

Launched on Feb 14, 2012, the GIVE Group is the first and only charity referral network in Canada that fundraises via real estate sales. GIVE acts as a matchmaking service that between real estate agents and charity supporters that donates 20-25% of the REALTOR® commissions to the charity of the client's choice. Supporters can work with any REALTOR®, anywhere in Canada.

“The GIVE Group breaks new ground by using property sales commissions to support good causes,” says Helfrich, GIVE’s first client. “I wish I had thought setting up a GIVE Group 20 years ago.”

The nexus for setting up GIVE was to open up new and innovative funding avenues for charities. GIVE launched with four pilot non-profit partners, including the BC Neurofibromatosis Foundation, the Nova Scotia Gambia Association, Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation and Keep A Breast Canada. New charities are partnering with GIVE every week, and GIVE is rapidly expanding its referral database of 50+ REALTORS®.

The GIVE donation to Habitat for Humanity came from real estate agents Julie Carpenter and Joan Montgomery who, with the GIVE Group, are part of TRG The Residential Group Realty. TRG Realty is a boutique brokerage in Vancouver BC who enable GIVE to collaborate with any REALTOR® from any other brokerage across Canada i.e. ReMAX, Royal LePage, Sutton, etc. TRG Realty's managing broker is Mr. Rick Valouche who is Past President of the BC Real Estate Association.

“REALTORS® have always given back to their communities and GIVE enhances that generosity,” said Mr. Valouche. “Canadian property sales are a multi-billion dollar business, so we are excited about the GIVE Group’s potential.”