2019 REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive: Why your help is needed, according to our volunteers

The 25th annual REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive is fast approaching! This year, donations will be collected from Monday, November 18 to Monday, November 25.

Over 60 volunteers have made a commitment to help with the event. They include busy Realtors, retired and former Realtors and office staff in brokerages across the Fraser Valley.

Here’s what a few of them had to say when we asked them about the Drive.

1. Why do you volunteer for the Drive?

  • To help those less fortunate.
  • I feel very passionate about this Drive and giving back to the community. We all have something warm in our closet that we can give to those in need or we can pick up something warm for as little as $1. Young and old can help.
  • The Blanket Drive draws people together and gives people the opportunity to help others. It connects Realtors with the public and gives Realtors the opportunity to work together for the greater good.
  • I love to give back to my community!

2. What kind of response do you often get when you deliver the donations?

  • A positive one!
  • When I deliver donations, I see so much excitement on the recipients’ faces. Some of the organizations have people in need helping out and they are so excited when they carry the bags in. (The donations are) always appreciated.
  • Lots of appreciation and brighter faces. Many people are just tired and are touched when someone personally supports and acknowledges them.
  • People are so excited. It’s like Christmas for them and they feel that people really do care about them.

3. In your opinion, what are the most-needed donations for this year’s Drive?

  • (New) socks are the number one thing homeless people need.
  • We need to get back to the basics – warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, boots, umbrellas, torques, mitts, etc. I noticed over the past few years we have ended up picking up “donation” items vs. blankets.
  • Warm coats, blankets and socks.

4. Describe one of your most-memorable experiences while helping with the Drive.

  • I think for me, my most memorable experience was when I took bags to the Warm Zone. The ladies were so excited when I pulled in. They helped unload the truck and couldn’t thank me enough. They were so thankful for everything.
  • When the Gateway of Hope first opened its doors around 2009, someone donated beef. While I was trying to find out what they needed from our Blanket Drive, I found out they didn’t need blankets; they needed two deep freezers. My manager gave me the permission to page all the Realtors in my office for help. Within about an hour, we had secured two deep freezers for Gateway and they were delivered to them within 24 hours. This went above and beyond the Blanket Drive but it was because of the Blanket Drive that they got what they needed.
  • When I had my truck loaded and I was driving down South Fraser Way and people yelled out their car window THANK YOU!

5. What would you tell others who have never donated to the Drive?

  • Start!
  • We as Realtors should be supporting the Drive. It’s something as simple as a pair of socks or mittens. It’s a great way to reach out to clients or a door knocking opportunity.
  • One item is better no item!

6. What would you tell others who have never volunteered for the Drive?

  • Why not?
  • It’s a great way to give back to your community and work with other Realtors both in your own office and others. It’s not a huge time commitment.
  • I would strongly encourage all Realtors to volunteer even for one year to find out what the Blanket Drive is all about, then you will be rewarded and understand the big impact we can have together.
  • It is a rewarding experience. Most people think that homeless people are drug addicts and alcoholics. That is not true. It can happen to anyone, some people just fall on hard times. It doesn’t take much time to volunteer.

The Blanket Drive volunteers will be collecting donations from 40 brokerages for 25 local charities and non-profit groups this year.

One of our community groups could not emphasize enough, how your donations can help.

Darren Dyck, NightShift Street Ministries, said, “The blankets we have received over the years have helped many people. In the wet months, we often give out 300 blankets per month and we would be willing to accept any amount the REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive can provide. It is truly heart-breaking to our volunteers when we can’t offer a blanket on a miserable night in the wet months. We thank you so much for your help with this.”

How you can contribute:

The Blanket Drive is only one week and it’s just around the corner, so we’re urging you to prepare for it now.

In addition to saving the dates, you can help by:

  • Looking for donations now in your drawers, closets and storage areas – we need warm and wet weather clothing, mittens, toques, sleeping bags, blankets, and new socks and underwear
  • Watching for sales in stores – we can always use more new socks and underwear for men, women and children in all sizes
  • Telling your clients about the Blanket Drive now, especially if they are moving and they need time to collect items that may be suitable
  • Promoting the Drive on social media – download images on the BLANKETDRIVE.ca website, share the Blanket Drive Facebook page we have with the Greater Vancouver and Chilliwack Boards or Tweet along with us using #blanketdrive25

More information:

Visit our public-facing website BLANKETDRIVE.ca for brokerages collecting donations and charity and community groups accepting our donations.

The REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive is a partnership between the Fraser Valley, Greater Vancouver and Chilliwack & District boards and their communities.

If you have questions about the overall Drive, email Debbie Jay, our Blanket Drive coordinator.