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Florida Realtors® Donate to Suitcases for Kids During 2005 FAR Convention
Photo caption: National Association of Realtors (NAR)® Regional Vice President for District 5 Moe Veissi, left, and 2005 Florida Association of Realtors (FAR)® President Frank Kowalski are surrounded by some of the more than 2,000 suitcases, duffel bags and backpacks donated by Realtors across Florida to Suitcases for Kids during the recent annual FAR Convention & Trade Expo at the Lake Buena Vista Palace.
ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 2, 2005 -- Realtors® across Florida recently collected more than 2,000 new and gently used suitcases, duffel bags and backpacks to benefit Suitcases for Kids, part of a national effort to make a difference in the lives of children in foster care. Tragically, many children in foster care have to move weekly -- some even daily -- putting everything they own into a plastic bag when it's time to go.
With every suitcase that Realtors collected, one less child will have to suffer that indignity, says 2005 Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR) President Frank Kowalski. Heart of Florida United Way’s Gifts In Kind Center is managing the sorting and shipping of the collected bags to statewide agencies serving foster children and crisis centers in communities across Florida.
“No matter how you look at it, a garbage bag makes a lousy travel companion,” Kowalski says. “Children in foster care are already dealing with so much turmoil in their lives. If we can make it just a little easier, just by giving them a special suitcase to house and carry their personal possessions, then that's a wonderful thing to do. Realtors across the state responded to the call for help and donated more than 2,000 duffel bags and suitcases to the cause, bringing the bags with them to our annual Convention & Trade Expo, Aug. 24-28, in Lake Buena Vista. Plus, many Realtors also contributed suitcases in their local communities through their local boards and associations.”
FAR and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) are supporting sponsors for Suitcases for Kids. NAR encourages state and local Realtor organizations across the nation to create collection programs that will benefit foster care agencies in their local communities.
“We’re honored to know that Florida Realtors can help make a difference and add dignity in the lives of children who have already gone through so much,” says Moe Veissi, NAR regional vice president for District 5. “The response from Realtors in the region, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi has been incredible, and many are continuing to collect suitcases for distribution to local groups in their communities.”
In addition to assisting foster children with their luggage needs, FAR has generously donated new backpacks to Heart of Florida United Way’s “Santa’s Secret Workshop” event in December. “Santa’s Secret Workshop” is a free event for low-income children served by local nonprofit charities. During the event, over 150 children will have the opportunity to select new gift items for every family member in their home in celebration of the December holidays. Thanks to Florida Realtors' generosity, this year the children will also receive a quality backpack or duffel bag of their own.
“We are pleased to be able to assist the Florida Association of Realtors with this worthy cause,” says Rebecca Quinn, director of Heart of Florida United Way’s Gifts In Kind Center. “The generosity of their association is truly amazing, reflected in the quantity of new, high quality bags that were donated in support of both Suitcases for Kids and Santa’s Secret Workshop.”
Suitcases for Kids was founded by 10-year-old Aubyn Burnside in 1995 in an effort to provide Catawba County, N.C., foster care children with suitcases. Since then, the program has grown to become an international nonprofit organization with chapters in every state and 47 countries, and has collected more than 25,000 suitcases for foster children. To find out more, visit www.SuitcasesforKids.org.
The Florida Association of Realtors, the voice for real estate in Florida, provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its more than 130,000 members in 68 boards/associations.
Heart of Florida United Way is Central Florida’s most comprehensive health and human services charity. A volunteer-based organization, your local United Way brings individuals and groups together in a communitywide effort to provide the best quality of life in Central Florida. Heart of Florida United Way’s Gifts In Kind Center provides new or barely used merchandise or products that businesses no longer need or want to sell to local charities, which allows them to use more of their money to deliver services to those in need.
© 2005 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
