REALTORS® Recognized As Good Neighbors Win $5K in Grants for Three Nonprofits
Honolulu Board of REALTORS® Good Neighbors Program recognizes members for commitment to community service
HONOLULU, HI (July 12, 2022) – For the second year in a row, the Honolulu Board of REALTORS® recognized three of its members for their commitment to service as part of its Good Neighbor Awards Program. The annual awards, which celebrates REALTORS® who have demonstrated excellence and impact within the community, provides a total of $5,000 in community grants to non-profit organizations of each recipient’s choice.
This year’s Good Neighbor Awards Program winners are:
- First Place – Leona Soto of Pacific Lifestyle Properties for her nonprofit of choice, Soroptimist International of Central Oʻahu (SI/CO), which will receive a $2,500 grant.
- Second Place – Abe Lee of Century 21 iProperties Hawaiʻi for his nonprofit of choice, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, which will receive a $1,500 grant.
- Third Place – Heidi Ho of Luva LLC for her nonprofit of choice, Oʻahu RC&D for Windward Zero Waste School Hui, which will receive a $1,000 grant.
Click download pictures to view this photo. From left to right: HBR president Chad Takesue, Good Neighbor Awards First Place Winner Leona Soto, HBR president-elect Fran Villarmia-Kahawai, and HBR CEO Suzanne Young.
“Each year, we are blown away by our outstanding REALTORS® who are investing their time and energy into building stronger communities across Oʻahu,” said Suzanne Young, CEO, Honolulu Board of REALTORS®. “In recognition of our members’ community service, the board is proud to award grants to these organizations which are dedicated to improving the lives of women, empowering keiki through mentorship and managing food waste and sustainable education.”
Soto, who was selected as the top award recipient for this year’s awards program, has been working alongside Soroptimist International of Central Oʻahu for nearly four decades. Her coordinated fundraising efforts through her work with SI/CO has helped award 28 scholarship recipients from 2018-2022, including 10 Live Your Dream Scholarships totaling $36,000 to women struggling to support their families while working to improve their education; four Violet Richardson Awards totaling $2,000 to teenage girls dedicated to community service; and three Ruby Awards totaling $3,000 to non-Soroptimist volunteers improving the lives of women and seniors.
In the nomination form, Elise Carmody, 2020-2022 SI/CO president wrote that “Leona’s work and positive energy have been critical to SI/CO’s ability to fulfill its mission through the 30 members she has sponsored, the SI/CO activities for which she has volunteered, and the money she has personally contributed and worked toward generating.”
Each year, nominees are evaluated by HBR on their level of personal contribution, the impact of their contribution, the broadness of impact, and the project’s suitability as a role model for other REALTORS®.
About the Honolulu Board of REALTORS®
Established in 1922, the Honolulu Board of REALTORS® is one of the largest of 1,100 boards of REALTORS® in the nation, and, with more than 7,000 members, is one of the largest trade organizations on O‘ahu. This year, the board is celebrating its centennial anniversary of serving as housing advocates, community builders and good neighbors for Oʻahu. Membership is available to licensed real estate brokers, agents, property managers, appraisers, counselors and others engaged in all aspects of the real estate industry who pledge to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. For more information, call (808) 732-3000 or visit www.hicentral.com.