(Photo by C Technical from Pexels)
During a year marked by challenge, local real estate brokers, staff and owners with Windermere Central Oregon Real Estate answered the call to uplift the less fortunate in their local communities. Through the Windermere Foundation, a total of $9,104 was given to charities in Central Oregon that support low-income children and families in 2020. Windermere also pivoted its traditional volunteer campaigns throughout the year to address the most immediate needs of the community, including raising money for local food banks and hosting a virtual winter necessity fundraiser.
The $9,104 in donations from the Windermere Foundation benefitted the following charities throughout Redmond, Bend, Madras and Sunriver: The Giving Plate, Bethlehem Inn, Rogue Credit Union Wildfire Relief, Camp Eagle Cap, Redmond Senior Center, Jefferson County Food Bank and the La Pine Community Kitchen, among many others.
“Last year, Windermere approached long-standing traditions differently, enabling our brokers to address the specific needs of our communities immediately during a crisis,” said Scott Mitchelson, president of Windermere Services Company in Oregon and SW Washington. “We transformed two large annual volunteer campaigns into two separate fundraisers for food banks and charities across the state.”
In lieu of its annual Community Service Day — a 35-year-old tradition where owners, brokers and staff volunteer in their local neighborhoods on the same day in June — Windermere hosted a Neighbors in Need fundraiser to immediately help food banks whose operations, and the people they serve, were heavily impacted by the pandemic. In just 13 days, realtors with Windermere, including those in Bend, Redmond and Madras, raised nearly $170,000 for approximately 50 food banks across Oregon and SW Washington.
In addition, rather than cancel its Share the Warmth campaign — an annual winter tradition that has benefited local neighborhoods through donations of coats, blankets and other items for nearly two decades — Windermere hosted a virtual fundraiser to help local charities purchase winter necessities for community members in need. Beneficiaries in Central Oregon included Bend’s Bethlehem Inn and Grandma’s House and Redmond’s Family Access Network.
Windermere Central Oregon is proud to be a part of the larger Windermere Foundation, serving the Western U.S. since 1989. Along with launching their own fundraising activities and providing personal donations, brokers donate a portion of every commission to the Windermere Foundation for every home bought or sold through Windermere. To date, Windermere has raised more than $43 million in donations supporting programs and organizations that provide shelter, clothing, children’s programs, emergency assistance and other services to those in need.
