Realtors collect food for needy in District 211 area
When a group of realtors began to notice the hardships that families face in their everyday lives, they knew they needed to do something to help.
That’s when Realtors Against Homelessness started last year. The group held a fundraiser last fall to benefit students facing homelessness in the District 211 area. The most recent initiative is a summer food drive that partners with businesses in the community.
“We identified several real estate offices that might want to participate in this food drive campaign,” said Cindy Eich, one of RAH’s founders and member. “All food collected will be distributed.”
Sue Gould of Prudential Starck organized the effort after reading that it’s harder for students to find adequate nutrition during the summer months. She said many food pantries find it hard to keep food stocked during the summer because people generally think to donate when the weather is cold or around holidays.
The group, which consists of Realtors from six different offices — RE/MAX at Home, Prudential Starck, Baird and Warner, RE/MAX Suburban, Coldwell Banker and Keller Williams — put together boxes for local businesses to participate. District 211 is one of the organizations partnering with RAH for the food drive, which will last through the entire month of July.
On July 13, agents from Baird and Warner were at the Jewel Food Store in Hoffman Estates on Palatine Road collecting donations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This was the first time the group has done a food drive.
Eich believes it’s important for people to help out the communities they live in.
“Even as the market improves, we continue to see the hardship families are going through,” Eich said. “Many of the homes we show are vacant properties, and often the clients that we work with are either losing their homes or purchasing a home they know was a short sale or foreclosure. RAH is a group of people committed to the communities and helping in any way we can. This is just a small way we can help.”
To contribute to the food drive or learn more about RAH, contact Cindy Eich at (847) 721-5580 or Sue Gould at (847) 309-5404.
The following offices are participating: Baird & Warner, Palatine and Barrington; Keller Williams, Barrington and Palatine; Coldwell Banker, Arlington Heights; Prudential Starck, Palatine; RE/MAX at Home, Rolling Meadows; RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest, Lake Zurich and Palatine; RE/MAX Suburban, Schaumburg; and Su Casa, Palatine.