Realtor Association donates to several charities

 

From Illinois Business Journal news services

BELLEVILLE — The Realtor Association of Southwestern Illinois recently made donations to several charities in the area. In collaboration with the Realtor Association’s Holiday Celebration, the members held a successful food and toy drive for the Community Interfaith Food Pantry and Griffin Center.

Association members donated a large van full of toys to the Griffin Center. The center is located in East St. Louis and helps children who are surrounded by violence and poverty become happy, healthy and productive citizens. Many of the items were used as Christmas presents for the children.

“As an association comprised of many members of the community, we felt it was our duty to help those in need,” said Doug Payne, president of the association. “It is ever-so-important, especially during these hard economic times, that we give back to the community we live and work in.”

The association also collected food and toiletry items for the Community Interfaith Food Pantry in Belleville. The Community Interfaith Food Pantry, located in Belleville, is a well-organized food pantry comprised of volunteers from eleven local churches. The Community Interfaith Food Pantry provides food to families throughout Belleville and Swansea communities who are experiencing difficulty in meeting the demands of daily living.

The Realtor Association members also collected numerous school supplies for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois this summer.

The voluntary trade association located in Belleville has nearly 900 members.