INDUSTRY NEWSINTERNATIONALNEWS

The Harcourts Foundation reaches $6 million milestone

The Harcourts Foundation, the charitable arm of Harcourts, has reached the milestone of $6 million raised since its launch in 2008. That translates to 732 charities supported, 356 communities impacted, and over 970 grants made through Harcourts offices in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the USA.

Key community issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, hospice care, education, healthcare, and early childhood education, amongst many others, are being tackled head-on with support of Harcourts team members’ generosity.

“The Harcourts Foundation is an important part of our vision to deliver the finest experience in real estate,” Harcourts Managing Director, Mike Green, said .

“The impact we have made to people’s lives is quite profound. We are all incredibly proud to achieve $6 million raised and give directly back into the communities where we live.”

Over time, Harcourts franchises, offices, and people have generously created a history of giving through sponsoring and supporting thousands of people in need. Being caring members of the local communities ensures a better quality of life for everyone.

“The Foundation has impacted the lives of thousands of people and continues to do that,” Mr Green continued.

“Over the last 11 years, over 300 offices have taken an amount off the top of every property sale and many more fundraise in their own local area.

“The support goes directly to those who need it the most, raised at events from small ones like sausage sizzles to large country-wide initiatives such as Walk A Mile in Their Shoes, in Australia, and the Hospice NZ Grants Programme.”

The Foundation operates as a 100 per cent charity and is funded through Harcourts employee salary sacrifice, ‘off the top’ contributions from sales commissions, and through organised fundraisers.

All funds raised go directly to grants due to the volunteer-run structure that sees Harcourts employees donate their time and expertise to oversee and administer the process.

No management fees, salaries or running costs are taken from the donation account.

New Zealand
Through the Harcourts Foundation, Harcourts New Zealand provides grants to help support grassroots community groups. These are often lesser known charities that are making a real difference in their communities, but struggle to find funding.

In 2017, the Harcourts Foundation and Hospice New Zealand established the Hospice NZ Grants Programme. This unique program provides member hospices with the opportunity to purchase much-needed equipment, enabling people with life limiting illnesses to live every moment.

The Foundation also supports Plunket’s free community services for the development, health and wellbeing of children in New Zealand under five years of age.

“It’s wonderful to see the positive impact the Harcourts Foundation has had on our local communities over the past 11 years,” Harcourts New Zealand Managing Director, Bryan Thomson, said.

“Through their work with the Foundation, our people all around the country have established strong connections with their local communities and are able to see first-hand the impact their contributions are making.”

To date, the Foundation has facilitated over 537 community grants around the country.

Australia
In Australia, The Harcourts Foundation supports two major recipients on a national level – White Ribbon Australia and Orange Sky Australia, .

In addition to national impact, the Foundation has granted over 402 community grants around the country.

Since the partnership with Orange Sky Australia was announced in March 2018, Harcourts franchises have collectively granted a total of $36,152.

The combination of funds raised came from traditional avenues (donation with property transaction).

Additional money was raised through the Harcourts Laundry Challenge – a national viral social media campaign that challenged Harcourts corporate team members to donate $6 – the price of just one shower for a homeless person.

The grant was presented during the Harcourts Australia National Conference in May to Fiona Hodges, the Strategic Partnership Manager of Orange Sky Australia by Julia Eyles, Harcourts Foundation global co-ordinator.

Orange Sky is Australia’s first mobile laundry service for the homeless. A world-first initiative which was launched in Brisbane in 2014, it provides vans that are custom-fitted with two industrial washers and dryers, and more recently with shower cubicles.

Every week this fleet of mobile laundries completes more than 7000kgs of laundry for some of the 105,000 Australians who are identified as being homeless. It is run by a team of more than 1000 trained volunteers who provide over 1300 hours of non-judgemental conversation.

Their largest impact in the service they provide happens during the washing cycle – conversation in the hope to help our friends on the street make gradual steps back into society.

Show More

News Room

If you have any news for the Real Estate industry - whether you are a professional or a supplier to the industry, please email us: newsroom@eliteagent.com