CAR Disaster Relief Efforts Update

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® is in the process of finalizing its plans that will give us the best opportunity to help victims of the Colorado floods.  The plans will provide two separate ways to help affected REALTORS® individually and affected communities through non-profit housing organizations.

Through NAR’s REALTORS® Relief Foundation CAR is seeking funds to help provide direct support to Colorado REALTORS® and individuals of the public in the flood areas.  We are currently working with NAR to develop a co-op agreement and the criteria that will allow CAR to provide immediate support to these victims.  The estimated time for this program to be in place is by the beginning of next week.  Donations for these efforts will go through NAR’s REALTORS® Relief Foundation.

The other plan is to help affected communities through non-profit organizations.  CARHOF has set up a flood relief campaign through ColoradoGives.org and is currently working on developing a quick and easy grant application that will help expedite the grant process.  Donations are now being accepted at Coloradogives.org/carhof-floodrelief.  The grant application will be available Friday, September 20, 2013.

Members, the public and non-profit housing organizations will be able to access both campaigns on ColoradoREALTORS.com.

DONATIONS

Members and associations will have two options to donate.  They can help REALTORS® and individual members of the public by donating to NAR’s REALTOR® Relief Foundation at http://www.realtor.org/programs/realtors-relief-foundation/make-a-donation. Remember 100 percent of the donations will go to help those affected by the Colorado floods providing they meet the established criteria.

The other option is for members and the public to donate to CARHOF at https://www.Coloradogives.org/carhof-floodrelief.  Donations made through this portal will be dedicated to non-profit housing organizations.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CAR DISASTER RELIEF PLAN CONFERENCE CALL

• NAR has asked CAR to coordinate the REALTOR® Relief Foundation effort, therefore all grant requests will be sent to CAR’s Inverness Office at 309 Inverness Way South, Englewood, CO  80112.  You can also email REALTORS® Relief Foundation requests to Tyrone Adams at [email protected].
• CAR’s primary focus will be on helping Colorado REALTORS® in the affected areas
• This is an opportunity to embrace members of our REALTOR® family and adds one more reason to the benefits of being a REALTOR®.
• CARHOF will provide immediate assistance to non-profit housing organizations in the flood affected areas.

THE WAY THE NAR REALTOR® RELIEF GRANT WORKS

• The REALTORS® Relief Foundation is a 501(C3) non-profit corporation dedicated to providing housing related assistance to victims and their families in disaster situations.  The Foundation distributes 100 percent of all funds collected to disaster relief causes.  The following are some of the highlights to receive a grant:
  • The grant must be used in an area that has been declared a major disaster by the city, county, state or federal government
  • Must be used to directly assist victims impacted
  • Must be used for intended purpose
  • No administrative or compensation can be deducted from the grant
  • NAR would like for CAR to centralize the process and have the local associations and members funnel their grant requests through the state association.

The Process

• CAR will set up a five person committee appointed by Keith Kanemoto to process and review grant requests for the REALTORS® Relief Foundation.
  • The Committee will meet on a weekly basis by conference call
  • If you are interested in serving on this committee please send an email to Tyrone Adams at [email protected].

• The grants that meet NAR’s Foundation’s criteria set by NAR and CAR will be forwarded to NAR for final approval
• If approved by NAR, they will notify CAR and a check will be made out to the person, group or organization and sent back to CAR for distribution
• While this is an extra step NAR considers this the dual pay system to ensure the money goes to the right place
• From our understanding it takes 1-2 weeks for checks to be approved and distributed.
• All of this is subject to funds being available in the Foundation.

Keith Kanemoto

2013 CAR President