COVER STORY
Inaugural Year of the RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation
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t’s often said that if you have a roof over your head and food on the table that you are blessed. Unfortunately, not everyone in our community has these blessings that many of us take for granted. Hardships come in all shapes and sizes, and if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that we need to check on each other often and support one another. Realtors® have a long history of generously volunteering and giving back, and are invested in communities where we live, work, and play. In the same way, RASM has long partnered with area organizations in Sarasota and Manatee counties on countless charitable endeavors. As an Association and a collective body of professionals, we are dedicated to one another, and to the betterment of the communities that we call home. Giving back has been one of the primary goals of the Association in 2021. As such, RASM has dedicated much of the past year to the growth and overall success of the RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation (RRCF), the charitable arm of RASM. Founded in December 2020, the RASM REALTORS® Charitable Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, providing a tax-deductible method for members to contribute to RASM’s charitable efforts. As we enter the end of the RRCF’s inaugural year, RASM is proud to
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share the Foundation’s many accomplishments, and we are excited to see what we can all do together in the years ahead.
WHY START A FOUNDATION? In late 2019, RASM management and leadership recognized a desire and willingness by our members to provide support and leadership to their communities through outreach initiatives, which required the formation of a charitable, tax-deductible organization. RRCF reflects the association’s long-term, continuing commitment to support initiatives, which enhanced the quality of life within Florida communities. There is no doubt that the need, interest, and desire to continue the promotion of Realtors® as knowledgeable, dedicated professionals who are concerned with the health of their community, is as necessary today as it will be in the future. The RRCF was established to consolidate RASM’s charitable and community fundraising programs, thus bringing a greater impact in the Sarasota and Manatee region. The Foundation acts as the umbrella from which all RASM fundraising efforts and charitable offerings are covered. It allows RASM to broaden its reach in the community, doing more, for more people, both in the
