Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund begins assisting tornado victims
By Scott Williams, Ohio REALTORS® Chief Executive Officer
The work of REALTORS® to help rebuild the communities affected by the tornadoes that ripped through Greene, Mercer and Montgomery counties on May 27 is well underway, with the Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund sending the initial batch of grant checks to 70 residents whose residence were damaged.
The Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund, which was launched on June 6, has already provided $57,377 in non-repayable grants to residents affected by the storms. Additionally, Ohio REALTORS® has received another 164 grant applications since the initial checks were released on June 17.
It's clearly evident that there's a need for help -- as residents are struggling to rebuild their lives following the tornadoes. The Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund, with the assistance of a grant from the National Association of REALTORS® and donations from individual REALTORS® and Local Boards/Associations, is providing up to a $1,000 non-repayable grant to qualified applicants. In total, the REALTOR® community will be providing more than $325,000 in direct financial relief to affected residents.
The Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund is helping residents make a mortgage or rent payment on homes damaged by the storms. The funds are providing needed relief at a time of great need, as the following comments indicate:
From a Celina resident -- "We are needing to do a complete rebuild of our home. Due to just purchasing our house in March, we do not have any savings left over for an insurance deductible and a mortgage payment at the same time. We are asking for any help possible."
From a Beavercreek resident -- "Our home is currently not able to be lived in. We are in a hotel until we find a home to rent while we rebuild. The roof lifted...the front entryway blew out...windows were blown out...the front of the house took a massive impact."
From a Trotwood resident -- "Complete loss. Two story home and the tornado took the entire second floor. Roof is caved in and structurally unstable. (Home) needs to be demolished."
There is, unfortunately, a common thread of damaged/destroyed roofs, walls, windows, trees, flooded basements and structural damage in all of the applications we've received. The need is significant and Ohio's REALTOR® community is united in trying to provide relief and make a meaningful difference -- with donations to the Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund already topping $12,500 in less than two weeks since our fundraising effort began. Special thanks to the following Local Boards/Associations for their generous support to the Housing Disaster Relief Fund:
- Beaver Creek Association
- Columbus REALTORS®
- Knox County Board
- Medina County Board
- Midwestern Ohio Association
- Toledo Regional Board
- Wayne-Holmes Association
- Youngstown Columbiana Association
Additionally, the following individual REALTORS® and staff members from our Local Board/Associations and Ohio REALTORS® have made donations to our relief fund (listed by Board/Association):
- (Akron Cleveland Association) Cyndi Kane, Sandy Naragon
- (Beaver Creek Association) Ronald Bryer, Linda Courtney, Dale Meller
- (Butler-Warren Association) Brad Knapp
- (Cincinnati Area Board) Marc Grafton, Sheila Holmes-Howard, Karen Lampert Pizzimenti, Lori Ryan
- (Columbus REALTORS®) Stan Collins, Michelle Groff, Key Properties Realty Johnstown, Jeannine Marie Kuhns, Barbara Lach, Sue Lusk-Gleich, Chris Reese, Mary Katherine Sunderman
- (Dayton REALTORS®) Kara Barbara Markworth
- (Lake & Geauga Area Association) Sheryl Stanley
- (Midwestern Ohio Association) Angela Ann Szaruga
- (Ohio REALTORS®) Carrie Arblaster, Nikki Arnold, Jenna Bragg, Shauna Brown, Stacey Dawson, Nikki Gasbarro, Carl Horst, Robin Jennings, Garry Moon, Cherie Murray, Peg Ritenour, Sharon Sample, Beth Wanless, Scott Williams
- (Wayne-Holmes Association) Jennifer Wiles
- (Non-member) Mary Lebeau
Ohio's REALTOR® community prides itself on helping to make home happen and on helping to build communities. We are grateful to NAR, along with our partners at Dayton REALTORS® and the Midwestern Ohio Association of REALTORS®, for their assistance and support in helping those affected by the storms.
CLICK HERE if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to our Ohio REALTORS® Housing Disaster Relief Fund.
Also, if you have a family member, friend or neighbor that was adversely affected, encourage them to CLICK HERE for complete details on our relief fund and to access the application.
