Dear CAR Member,
“We are in a crisis and need your help.”
This is from an email we received from Ellie Rosebush, the association executive of the Oroville Association of REALTORS®, who lost her home in last week’s Northern California wildfire and had to be evacuated.
Last week’s wildfires in Northern and Southern California are now the deadliest in the state’s history. To date, the fires have destroyed thousands of structures, taken more than 60 lives and counting, and wiped away an entire town. Thousands of people have been displaced and are in need of a place to live, including many in the REALTOR® family. Several members have written us telling us how they barely escaped with their lives.
Through its Disaster Relief Fund, C.A.R. stands ready to help REALTOR® family members who have been impacted by these disasters. Grants provided by the fund are used to help members of the REALTOR® family — REALTORS®, their staff, and Association members and their staff.
If you or any of your agents have suffered a loss from these recent fires, you may apply for assistance through the Disaster Relief Fund by completing the online application here or email disasterrelief@car.org. My heart goes out to all of those who have been affected.
Through the generous support of members, local associations, affiliates and others donating to C.A.R.’s Disaster Relief Fund we’ve been able to provide much needed resources to those in need. Please help us continue this effort by making a tax-deductible donation to C.A.R.’s Disaster Relief Fund.
Last year, C.A.R. made grants totaling more than $300,000 to REALTORS® and their communities who suffered damages caused by the Sonoma County fires and Montecito mudslides, as well as victims of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in other states.
With these disasters becoming the norm, C.A.R. is depleting its relief fund, and we’ve barely begun receiving grant requests from victims of the recent fires. We anticipate that 100 members will apply for relief grants. In light of the dire need, I’m reaching out to you to make a donation to C.A.R.’s Disaster Relief Fund. To make your donation go further, C.A.R. has pledged to match up to $250,000 in donations.
Please donate online here or send a check directly to California Community Foundation at 221 S. Figueroa St., Ste. 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Make checks payable to the California Community Foundation and write “C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund” on the memo line.
In addition to these targeted REALTOR® relief efforts, we are working closely with NAR’s REALTOR® Relief Foundation (RRF) to provide meaningful support to all those who lost their homes in the various impacted communities. We encourage donations to RRF here as well.
The C.A.R. Leadership Team and I sincerely appreciate your support, and I know our grant recipients do as well.
Sincerely,
Jared Martin
C.A.R. President