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The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation donated $49,203 in 2017 to 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 public high schools in the region. This was also the first year funds were disbursed from The John Tripp Silicon Valley REALTORS® Veterans Scholarship Endowment to a student at Foothill College and at DeAnza College, with each student receiving $500.

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). The foundation grants are also funded by proceeds from SILVAR’s District fundraisers, like the annual Los Gatos-Saratoga District’s bocce ball tournament, which raised $3,362, and the Los Altos-Mountain View District’s annual pumpkin auction, which raised over $5,000 this year.

“We are thankful that with our members’ continued support we are able to continue our commitment to the welfare of the communities where our members work and live,” said Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation President Eileen Giorgi. “We thank our members for supporting the Foundation year after year.”

The 2017 Charitable Foundation grant recipients include Community Services Agency, which provides social services for residents of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills; East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, which promotes educational opportunities for students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park; Family Connections, which offers a tuition free cooperative preschool program for low-income children in San Mateo County; My New Red Shoes, which provides homeless and low-income children new clothing and shoes at the start of the school year; and Housing Trust Silicon Valley, which makes loans and grants for first-time homebuyers.

Also in 2017, the Charitable Foundation presented a $1,000 scholarship grant to each of 18 graduating seniors from public high schools in Silicon Valley. Since its creation 18 years ago, the program has presented a total of $324,000 in scholarships to Silicon Valley youth. SILVAR’s districts, through the Charitable Foundation, also donate to their local community nonprofit groups. 2017 District donations included $5,257 raised at the annual Los Gatos-Saratoga District pumpkin auction for Operation Reindeer (Family Giving Tree); $2,000 to the Cupertino Education Endowment Foundation and $750 respectively to West Valley Community Services and Sunnyvale Community Services from the Cupertino-Sunnyvale District; and $946 from the Los Altos-Mountain View District’s Legal Update sessions to Community Services Agency.

SILVAR represents over 5,000 REALTORS® and affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. Serving on the foundation’s board of trustees are Giorgi, Phyllis Carmichael, Chris Isaacson, Karen Trolan, Denise Welsh and Paul Cardus.