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The 22nd annual Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholars Program for graduating seniors from 18 public high schools in Silicon Valley is underway. The scholars program is sponsored by the Charitable Foundation of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®, a professional trade organization representing 5,000 REALTORS® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.
The REALTOR® scholars program is a partnership with local public high schools in Silicon Valley. The scholars from the Class of 2021 will be selected from high schools in thecommunities served by members of the local REALTOR® association. Principals and faculty at 18 participating high schools nominate three exceptional graduating seniors. Final selections will be made by a committee that includes representatives from the local business community and the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®.
The Charitable Foundation will award $1,500 to one nominee from each school in recognition of their exemplary record, outstanding academic performance and community spirit. Since its inception, the program has awarded over $380,000 to graduating high school seniors in Silicon Valley.
“The annual Silicon Valley Scholars Program is our members’ way of showing our support for our students, schools and communities. We see value in supporting our youth and investing in their future, especially at a time when their academic life has been much altered by the coronavirus pandemic,” said Nina Yamaguchi, chair of the scholars program of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. “Our excellent educational institutions are a major reason why Silicon Valley is a top housing market. For this we thank the students, teachers, administrators and school board members in our communities for their hard work and dedication in making the schools in our communities among the best in in the nation.”
The participating schools include Leigh High School and Lynbrook High School in San Jose; Westmont High School in Campbell; Fremont High School in Sunnyvale; Los Altos High School in Los Altos; Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos; Gunn High School and Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto; Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton; Santa Clara High School and Wilcox High School in Santa Clara; Cupertino High School, Homestead High School and Monta Vista High School in Cupertino; Prospect High School and Saratoga High School in Saratoga; Mountain View High School in Mountain View; and Woodside High School in Woodside.
The scholarship is open to graduating seniors from the above-mentioned high schools who plan to attend a four-year U.S. college or university in the fall. Scholarship applications and a list of other requirements may be obtained from the student’s school guidance or career counselor.
The completed application must be returned to the high school’s principal or counselor by Friday, March 5 for submission to the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. For further information, please contact Nina Yamaguchi at (408) 861-8822 or nyamaguchi@cbnorcal.com.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, REALTORS® across the country have increased their philanthropic and volunteer efforts. According to the National Association of REALTORS® Community Aid and Real Estate (CARE) Report, the median annual value of REALTOR® association donations to communities doubled from $5,000 in 2018 to $10,000 in 2020. REALTORS® have responded to the pandemic by donating money or nonperishables to food banks, volunteering at such organizations, donating masks and protective gear, donating school meals to children, and providing stable and secure housing to those in need.
In Silicon Valley, members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) have stepped up holiday giving online on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. “It is even more important to give this year because the pandemic has impacted thousands of families in Silicon Valley,” said Mary Kay Groth, president of the local REALTOR® association. “Since SILVAR’s five districts could not hold their traditional fundraising events live this year, our districts have partnered with non-profits in their service areas to brighten the holidays for families in need.”
SILVAR’s Menlo Park-Atherton and Palo Alto districts are asking members to donate to LifeMoves, a non-profit that provides family, individual, veteran, community outreach services for those in need and finds shelter for the homeless in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. “So far, our districts have raised over $5,000 for LifeMoves during our meeting last week. After a tumultuous year like this, I think everyone is feeling extra gratitude for what we do have and want to help make a difference and impact in our community,” said Francesca Lampert, Menlo Park-Atherton District chair.
To donate, visit https://www.lifemoves.org/. Your donation will help give a gift to each of the 1,200 people the agency serves every day.
SILVAR’s Los Altos-Mountain View District is donating to Community Services Agency, which provides vital social services for residents of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills and serves as a safety net so families’ independence and self-reliance can be restored and maintained. Visit the CSA holiday donation site at https://www.csacares.org/donate/.
Cupertino-Sunnyvale District is promoting giving to Sunnyvale Community Services and West Valley Community Services. Both non-profits provide critical food and emergency and support services to low income and homeless individuals and families in their service areas. Ninety-eight percent of SCS clients have incomes under 200 percent of the poverty level. Children represent 35 percent and seniors make up 13 percent of the agency’s clients. You can donate to SCS at https://svcommunityservices.org/donate-online/.
WVCS serves 22,000 in the west valley communities of Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, and West San Jose. You can make an online donation or adopt a family through their Gift of Hope program at https://www.wvcommunityservices.org/gift-of-hope.
Every year funds raised from the Los Gatos-Saratoga District’s annual pumpkin auction are donated to the Family Giving Tree. This year, the district has its own link on the FGT website, where SILVAR members can log on and select gifts by category – toy, price range, age, etc. To donate, visit the FGT site at https://familygivingtree.org/.
“REALTORS® in the trenches see the systemic inequities with our very own eyes and it inspires us to be part of a sustainable solution, pandemic or not. Together we support and contribute to organizations that seek to grant some sense of normalcy to those that could use a helping hand,” said Elizabeth Doyle, Los Gatos-Saratoga District chair. “We encourage everyone who can, to give when you can. We are better together when we help raise one another up.”
The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation donated $41,618 in 2019 to different non-profit organizations that help homeless and low-income individuals and families in Silicon Valley. Funds this year also went to scholarships for graduating seniors from 18 public high schools in the REALTOR® association’s service area.
The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation is a trust that makes grants available to organizations from donations by REALTORS® and affiliate members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR). In addition to voluntary contributions from members, grants are funded by proceeds from the local trade association’s district fundraisers. In 2019, SILVAR’s Los Altos-Mountain View District annual pumpkin auction in October raised $5,005, which the district donated to the foundation. Net proceeds of $1,786 from the Los Gatos-Saratoga District’s annual bocce ball tournament were also donated to the foundation.
“Rising home prices and rents have taken a toll on many residents. We are very concerned that more people are being displaced and are homeless in Silicon Valley,” said Eileen Giorgi, president of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. “We thank our members for their continued support and contributions to the communities where they work and live. With their help we are thankful that we are able to continue our commitment to the welfare and prosperity of these communities.”
The 2019 grant recipients include Adolescent Counseling Services, which provides a network of skilled family therapists and support groups for teens and young adults in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties; East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, which promotes educational opportunities for students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park; Westwind 4-H Riding for the Handicapped, which provides children with disabilities the opportunity to have fun while improving their coordination and strengthening their muscles; Youth Community Service, which provides service learning and leadership activities to underserved students in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto; and Jasper Ridge Farm, which helps children and adults facing physical and emotional challenges through therapeutic interaction with gentle farm animals.
SILVAR districts, through the Charitable Foundation, likewise made donations to local organizations in 2019. The Los Gatos-Saratoga District donated $5,335 raised at the district’s annual pumpkin auction to the Family Giving Tree’s Operation Reindeer program for holiday gifts, including clothing essentials and food certificates, to needy families and seniors in the community. The Cupertino-Sunnyvale District presented $750 each to West Valley Community Services and Sunnyvale Community Services for their respective Back to School programs for low-income students. The Los Altos-Mountain View District spring and fall legal updates raised $1,783, which the district donated to Community Services Agency, which provides a variety of social services like emergency one-time rent and utility financial support, vouchers for clothing, eyeglasses, school supplies, food and more for residents of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
In 2019, the Charitable Foundation Scholars Program presented a $1,000 grant to each of 18 graduating seniors from public high schools in Silicon Valley. The foundation has been assisting students with the scholarship grants for the past 20 years, awarding a total of $360,000 in scholarships to date. In 2020, the scholarship grant will increase to $1,500.
The Charitable Foundation also supports further education for U.S. veterans. The John Tripp Silicon Valley Scholarship grants $500 awards to veterans enrolled at Foothill and De Anza colleges. In 2016, the foundation presented $25,000 to Foothill-De Anza Foundation, an auxiliary organization of the Foothill-De Anza Community Colleges District for the creation of the endowment. The late John Tripp was a veteran of the Korean War and past president of SILVAR and the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. The foundation will be establishing another veterans scholarship at West Valley College.
The 20th annual Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholars Program for graduating seniors from 18 public high schools in Silicon Valley is under way. The scholars program is sponsored by the Charitable Foundation Trust of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR), a professional trade organization representing over 5,000 Realtors and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.
The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholars Program is a partnership with local high schools in the region. Principals and faculty at 18 participating public high schools nominate three exceptional graduating seniors. The program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one nominee from each school in recognition of their exemplary record, outstanding academic performance and community spirit. Since it started, the program has awarded $342,000 to graduating students in Silicon Valley.
The scholars from the class of 2019 will be selected from high schools in the communities served by members of SILVAR. Final selections will be made by a committee that includes representatives from the local business community, area high schools, area colleges and the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®.
“Silicon Valley REALTORS® are very proud of our excellent schools. They are a major reason why Silicon Valley is a top housing market,” said Nina Yamaguchi, chair of the scholars program of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. “The annual Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholars Program is an opportunity for our members to show our support for our schools and thank the students, teachers, administrators and school board members in our communities for their hard work and dedication in making the schools in our communities among the best in California and in the nation.”
The participating schools are Leigh High School and Lynbrook High School in San Jose; Westmont High School in Campbell; Fremont High School in Sunnyvale; Los Altos High School in Los Altos; Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos; Gunn High School and Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto; Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton; Santa Clara High School and Wilcox High School in Santa Clara; Cupertino High School, Homestead High School and Monta Vista High School in Cupertino; Prospect High School and Saratoga High School in Saratoga; Mountain View High School in Mountain View; and Woodside High School in Woodside.
The scholarship is open to graduating seniors from the above-mentioned high schools who plan on attending a four-year college or university. Information about the scholarships, including requirements and applications, may be obtained from the respective schools’ guidance or career counselors.
The completed application must be returned to the high school’s counselor by Monday, March 4, for submission to the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. For further information, please contact Nina Yamaguchi at (408) 861-8822 or nyamaguchi@cbnorcal.com.
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is calling on members to donate funds to the REALTORS® Relief Foundation to support storm victims in Texas. Martin Edwards, president of the NAR foundation board, said, “Harvey may require our REALTOR® family’s largest effort since Hurricane Katrina—or even 9/11. Hopefully, REALTORS® across America will heed the call to donate, as on-the-ground membership in Texas will be stretched beyond belief.”
NAR is asking members to join in this effort with a personal donation to the Foundation. You can do so in less than one minute using your credit card on NAR’s secure online form. Or you can send a check payable to RRF to REALTORS® Relief Foundation, 430 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Write “RRF Contribution” in the memo line.
Please send your donation today so your contribution can reach people who need it now Together, as REALTORS®, let’s continue to make a difference.
Silicon Valley’s economy is booming, but pockets of poverty exist. Non-profit agencies that provide housing and support services to the low income and homeless say despite the region’s economic prosperity, they are seeing more families and youth in need.
“Life can change suddenly for anyone. When crisis hits, things happen and a family can become homeless,” said Kohinoor Chakravarty, director of Development and Communications for West Valley Community Services (WVCS).
At a meeting held in the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) office in Cupertino, Chakravarty said the agency, which serves underprivileged families and the homeless in Cupertino, Saratoga, West San Jose, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos, provides 672,380 pounds of food to low-income and homeless families and $167,829 in emergency assistance for rent, utilities and deposits. Its food pantry provides 1,223 individuals with groceries, household items, diapers and personal care items. The agency also has special programs that help families during the holidays and school year with holiday food baskets and shopping spree, its backpack program and back-to-school event, which helps over 100 children shop for clothes for school.
WVCS has also opened food pantries in De Anza and Foothill colleges for about 200 students who are homeless, with no food or place to live. “High rents forced their families to move out of the area, but these students chose to stay because they know finishing their education is the only way to get out of the cycle of poverty,” said Chakravarty.
Marie Bernard, executive director with Sunnyvale Community Services, told REALTORS® that homelessness and hunger in Santa Clara County are exacerbated by skyrocketing rents. One-bedroom apartments are renting for $2,542 on average, and two-bedroom apartment rents average $3,228.
“For many families, it’s a choice of rent over food,” said Bernard.
Like WVCS, SCS is the first stop for families seeking help. Last year, the agency helped 7,991 low-income residents, a 16 percent increase from 2015. The agency has also extended its help to the Alviso area, where there are many people who are underserved and families whose homes are red-tagged because their utility bills are backed up for six to eight months.
“Keeping people fed and housed is the best economic investment our county can make,” said Bernard. She said while it costs to feed and help the poor, it would cost more if the county did not provide the help.
Chakravarty and Bernard said the non-profits cannot provide their services without help from residents who volunteer to help sort the food and distribute them to needy families. Local grocery stores donate food to their food pantries.
“Without volunteers uniting behind us, we cannot do this work. You can make it happen because you are our community,” Chakravarty told the REALTORS®.
SILVAR’s Cupertino/Sunnyvale District, through the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, has donated $750 to West Valley Community Services. The donation will be used to purchase backpacks for WVCS’s Back-To-School Backpacks program. Pictured above with the big check are Cupertino/Sunnyvale District tour director Mark Burns with Chakravarty.
In Los Altos, Kathryn Tomaino and Steve Klesczewski washed windows for a 74-year-old Los Altos homeowner.
The Palo Alto senior cheerfully greeted the RSVP (REALTOR® Service Volunteer Program) volunteers when they arrived at her home. She was eager and grateful to receive their help. Looking at her you wouldn’t know that she needed help, but the 81-year-old widow has undergone a liver transplant, a mastectomy, a hip replacement and now has a bad back. The Palo Alto senior homeowner was grateful the RSVP volunteers were able to vacuum her house, wash her windows and change a light bulb. She said her husband died five years ago and she has no family. She is friends with her neighbor, but the neighbor is 92 years old.
“The neighborhood has changed,” she sighed. “I feel so helpless. I guess I should move, but it’s hard because this is home. I’ve lived here for 50 years.”
A 98-year-old Saratoga senior feels the same way. Also a widow with no family, she was very happy that the RSVP volunteers were able to her change her light bulbs, turn over her mattress and replace her smoke detector battery.
“It’s wonderful you can do this for me. I just can’t do some of these tasks anymore,” she remarked.
In Los Altos, a 74-year-old senior homeowner conveyed her gratitude as RSVP volunteers proceeded to wash her outside windows. “I love this! Thank you. It is so wonderful to have this help,” she said.
RSVP volunteers also feel rewarded when they are able to help seniors in their communities. “We volunteer because we respect the needs of our parents. We want to pay it forward and do it for them,” said longtime RSVP volunteers Kevin Barrett and SILVAR President Denise Welsh.
The program has inspired new members to volunteer, as well. First-time RSVP volunteers Anna-Liza Estoesta and Sara Hernandez were eager to help. “We want to help the community,” they said.
Virginia Supnet said, “I would like to promote the event to my office to inspire other agents.”
This was Trevor Loveless’ third year as a Palo Alto District RSVP volunteer. He enjoys helping the seniors. “It’s good for the community. I was born and raised here. It’s good to give back,” said Loveless.
SILVAR’s REALTOR® Service Volunteer Program (RSVP) is on its 16th year. This year 107 volunteers from SILVAR assisted 50 senior households in the Menlo Park/Atherton, Palo Alto, Los Altos/Mountain View, Cupertino/Sunnyvale and Los Gatos/Saratoga communities. VIEW PHOTOS
The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation donated $93,000 in 2016 to non-profit organizations that help the homeless and low-income individuals and families in Silicon Valley. Funds this year also went to scholarships for graduating seniors from public high schools in the region.
The Charitable Foundation is a trust which makes grants available to organizations from donations by REALTORS® and affiliate members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR). In addition to voluntary contributions from members, grants are funded by proceeds from the local trade association’s district fundraisers, like the Los Gatos/Saratoga District Annual Bocce Ball Tournament and the Los Altos/Mountain View District Annual Pumpkin Auction. SILVAR represents over 5,000 REALTORS® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.
The 2016 Charitable Foundation grant recipients include Adolescent Counseling Services, which provides a network of skilled family therapists and support groups for teens and young adults in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties; Child Advocates of Silicon Valley, which seeks to provide stability to children who have experienced abuse and neglect; East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, which promotes educational opportunities for students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park; Friends of Deer Hollow Farm, an educational farm located in the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve; JustRead, a cross-generational program composed of retired professionals who teach reading and writing basics to students who did not learn these skills in earlier grades; LifeMoves, which provides services to enable the homeless to return to stable housing and self-sufficiency; Westwind 4-H Riding for the Handicapped, which provides children with disabilities the opportunity to have fun while improving their coordination and strengthening their muscles; and Youth Community Services, which provides service learning and leadership activities to underserved students in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
From money raised to support further education for U.S. veterans, the Charitable Foundation presented $10,000 each to Palo Alto University and West Valley Community College, and $25,000 to Foothill-De Anza Foundation, an auxiliary organization of the Foothill-De Anza Community Colleges District for the creation of “The John Tripp – Silicon Valley REALTORS® Veterans Scholarship Endowment.” The late John Tripp was a veteran of the Korean War and past president of SILVAR and the Charitable Foundation.
As part of its annual scholarship program, the Charitable Foundation presented a $1,000 grant to each of 18 graduating seniors from public high schools in Silicon Valley. The foundation has been assisting students with the scholarship grants for the past 17 years. SILVAR’s districts, through the Foundation, also donated $6,195 raised at the annual Los Gatos/Saratoga District Pumpkin Auction to the Family Giving Tree for Operation Reindeer; $1,350 each to the West Valley Community Services and Sunnyvale Community Services backpack programs for needy students and $1,000 to the Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation raised by the Cupertino/Sunnyvale District; and $1,797 raised by the Los Altos/Mountain View District at its spring and fall Legal Updates to Community Services Agency.
“It has become more costly to live in Silicon Valley, so we thank our members for being so generous in supporting the foundation year after year,” said Eileen Giorgi, president of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. “With our members’ continued support for and contributions to the communities where they work and live, we are able to continue our commitment to the welfare and prosperity of these communities.”
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Left to right are SILVAR Los Altos/Mountain View District Chair Katherine Frey, President Karen Trolan, President-elect Denise Welsh, De Anza College Development Director Dennis Cima, Dean of the Disability Resource Center & Veterans Programs at Foothill College Teresa Ong, Foothill-De Anza Colleges Foundation Executive Director Tess Chandler, and Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation President Eileen Giorgi. the presentation took place at the December 16 Los Altos/Mountain View District Holiday Breakfast at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club.
The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR), has created a scholarship endowment for student veterans at Foothill and De Anza Colleges. “The John Tripp-Silicon Valley REALTORS® Veterans Scholarship Endowment” was formally presented to officials of both colleges last week at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club.
The scholarship endowment was created by the REALTOR® foundation in memory of John Tripp, a longtime REALTOR® who died on December 27, 2015. Tripp was a veteran of the Korean War and served his country with honor and distinction from 1947 to 1956.
A REALTOR® for over 50 years and past president of SILVAR and its charitable foundation, Tripp was instrumental in “REALTORS® Honor Veterans,” the fundraising event held last year to establish a veterans scholarship fund to support eligible U.S. veterans residing in SILVAR’s traditional service area who wish to further their education. The event raised approximately $40,000.
Earlier this year, the foundation presented $10,000 each to Palo Alto University and West Valley College. The remaining funds went to the scholarship endowment to Foothill-De Anza Foundation, an auxiliary organization of the Foothill-De Anza Community Colleges District.
“In all he did, John emphasized education, ethics and the Golden Rule. The opportunity to grow through education was very near and dear to his heart, and with the establishment of this endowment, we honor his contributions to our community and our profession,” said Charitable Foundation president Eileen Giorgi.
“This is a perpetual scholarship that will grow through the years and be here even after we are all gone,” said Tess Chandler, executive director of Foothill-De Anza Foundation. “This endowment will give our student veterans from both colleges needed assistance to reach their academic goals.”
The endowment will pay out a $1,000 award each year – $500 for a student veteran on each campus. The awards can be used for book vouchers student fees and/or other education expenses.
Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® says ... 