The Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS® (R-BAR) showed their support as an association to the Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity (RBHFH) by being a major sponsor of their first annual banquet celebrating their 20th Year of helping people become homeowners. The Communications Committee, chaired by Debra Eisenhower, made the decision to support RBHFH’s 20th Year Anniversary Celebration. R-BAR’s contribution helped bring national motivational speaker and jewelry designer, Lucinda Yates, to inspire the enthusiastic audience of nearly 600 people on Friday, April 18, 2008. Debra said “It was a way for the REALTORS® to say thank you to a wonderful organization that helps individuals to achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
Individual members of R-BAR also made a very personal donation to RBHFH by donating a portion of their PowerBall Lottery winnings. Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity received a phone call on March 17th from Kate Steffy, Century 21 Park Road, with the news that fourteen employees from their company played the PowerBall Lottery on Saturday, March 15, 2008. As part of their $5 contribution toward lottery tickets, these generous individuals decided Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity would share an equal portion if they were to win. When they won PowerBall’s second prize of one of their largest PowerBall prizes ever, they raised nearly $15,000, which will be used to build homes in Berks County!
The donation was presented to RBHFH at their 20th Year Anniversary Celebration on Friday, April 18, 2008 at the Sheraton Reading Hotel. Kate Steffy, representing the Century 21 Park Road group, stated that, “Everyone feels that Reading-Berks Habitat getting a portion of the winnings is the main reason we won the lottery. We share a common goal in helping people with their housing needs.”
Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization which exists to create affordable homeownership opportunities with and for low-income families. Families who purchase Habitat for Humanity homes must first contribute 400 hours construction labor on a Habitat home, a contribution they call “sweat-equity.” Homes are sold to the families at no profit, and financed by Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity with zero-interest mortgages. The payments made by the families on their mortgages are then used to build more homes in our community. They rely on volunteers and families contributing sweat-equity for the “un-skilled” labor needed to build the homes. Working in this way, they believe they provide families a “hand-up” rather than a “hand-out,” while also providing a way for good people to assist hard-working families in our community.
The Reading-Berks Association of REALTORS® (R-BAR) is a 1,100 member organization that serves as the “voice for real estate” in Berks County. It is located at 2201 Ridgewood Road, Suite 350, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania