Real estate professionals are some of the most active members of their communities. Deep involvement in neighborhoods, towns, and cities helps real estate professionals position themselves in the eye of fellow community members as people who understand and care about their local area, which serves the secondary purpose of boosting trust and name recognition among the public.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, REALTORS® have increased their philanthropic and volunteer efforts, according to a new report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The Community Aid and Real Estate Report (the CARE Report) offers insight into the monetary and volunteer contributions of real estate professionals.

The median annual value of REALTORS® associations' donations to communities doubled from $5,000 in 2018 to $10,000 in 2020. Despite many health precautions, social distancing, and stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19, volunteering among REALTORS® remains high. In fact, compared to 2018 when this study was last conducted, volunteering remains at the same high levels, and donations increased, further demonstrating REALTORS®' dedication to their communities. 58% of REALTORS® said involvement in their community is "very important" to their business plan, and another 27% said such participation is "somewhat important."

"REALTORS® are in the business of helping people and serving their communities, and we've seen countless examples of this play out nationwide during this pandemic," said NAR President, Charlie Oppler. "To hear that my colleagues in the real estate industry have pitched in to an even greater degree than usual is indeed heartwarming, but it is also not surprising."

Though REALTORS^® have seen an increase in their community involvement and charitable donations throughout the pandemic, local non-profits and charitable organizations are still suffering. According to a report by Reuters, “many non-profits have suffered this year as the pandemic shuttered galas and fundraisers.” To help some local organizations bounce back, the Snohomish County-Camano Association REALTORS® (SCCAR) is hosting multiple charitable events this year:

- SCCAR will host their second annual Four-Legged Photo Contest on their Facebook page June 11^th through June 25^th to raise money for Happy Paws Farm in Arlington. Due to the pandemic, last year SCCAR made their annual Four-Legged Food Drive virtual by changing it to an online pet photo contest. “Last year the community raised $1,000 for Happy Paws through our photo contest, and SCCAR was able to match the donation – raising a total of $2,000 for animals and pet owners in need,” said Jennifer Pederson, President of SCCAR.

- SCCAR is also bringing back their annual Golf & Give charity golf tournament this year on August 12^th. This event is to raise money for Volunteers of America – Western Washington’s emergency shelter voucher program and Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County’s local housing projects. “We are hoping to raise over $20,000 for these wonderful organizations this year,” Pederson said.

- Every October, REALTOR^® offices across Snohomish County gather food and money for their local food banks. SCCAR is the biggest community contributor to the local Snohomish County food banks. “In 2020, REALTORS^® raised almost 13,000 pounds of food and well over $110,000.00 for food banks across Snohomish County. And we plan to raise even more this year,” stated Pederson.

To learn more about SCCAR’s events this year, to participate, or even give, please either email SCCAR at info@sccar.org, or visit https://www.sccar.org. For more information about buying or selling a home, be sure to work with a REALTOR^®, a member of the National Association of REALTORS^®. Snohomish County-Camano Association of REALTORS^® is the voice for real estate in Snohomish County.