Good Works: $100,000 goes to wildfire relief; Fraser Valley youth grants open

(GVR CEO Jeff King presents the $100,000 cheque to government and ssrategic relations lead Corinne Mercier, legacy advisor Firoz Mahmud and senior development officer Gabriel Wong).

Each month, REM shares the charitable works and good deeds of Realtors across Canada. Have something you’d like to share? Email your news to editor@realestatemagazine.ca by the 26th of each month, and don’t forget to include a photo!

Greater Vancouver Realtors donates $100,000 for B.C. wildfire relief

Greater Vancouver Realtors (GVR) is donating $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to support people and communities affected by wildfires across British Columbia.

The contribution, the largest charitable donation in GVR’s history, will support emergency assistance for people displaced from their homes as well as longer-term recovery efforts.

“Thousands of British Columbians are facing the uncertainty and hardship of being displaced from their homes, and our more than 13,000 Realtor members want to help,” said GVR CEO Jeff King.

The donation comes through GVR’s Community Relief Fund, launched in 2026 to assist people facing housing-related hardship following crises, tragedies and natural disasters. The fund can distribute up to $300,000 annually and is supported in part by a $1-per-member monthly contribution.

It is the fund’s second donation. Its first helped the family of Maya Gebala, a young girl seriously injured in Tumbler Ridge in February, secure rental housing near BC Children’s Hospital while she received treatment.

“This is exactly why we created the Community Relief Fund,” King said. “It gives our members a way to act when people suddenly find themselves facing extraordinary circumstances. This time, the need is on a much larger scale, and we know the Canadian Red Cross has the experience and reach to put this support to work where it is needed.”

The Canadian Red Cross is providing assistance to people affected by the wildfires and supporting recovery efforts as communities respond to the impact of the fires. GVR is also calling on real estate boards, brokerages, individual agents and other real estate professionals to join the effort and contribute to wildfire relief by supporting the Canadian Real Estate Association fundraiser.

Fraser Valley Realtors foundation opens 2026 grants for at-risk youth

Fraser Valley Realtors presenting a cheque to Greater Vancouver Youth Limited (contributed).

The Fraser Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation is accepting applications for its 2026 grant program, offering up to $25,000 to charities supporting at-risk and vulnerable youth.

Registered charities serving young people under 29 in Surrey, North Delta, Mission, Abbotsford, Langley or White Rock can apply for one-time grants ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.

Funding can support programs addressing needs, including employment preparation, financial literacy, nutrition, mental health, emergency shelter, transitional housing, outreach and food security.

The new grant cycle follows a milestone for the foundation, which surpassed $1 million in total funding distributed to community organizations in 2025. It is now working toward more than $1.5 million in total grants.

“Reaching $1 million distributed is an important milestone, but the real measure of our impact is the young people whose lives are strengthened through the charities we support,” said David Herman, board chair.

The foundation is supported by Realtor volunteers, donors, businesses and other community partners. Applications for the current grant cycle close Sept. 12.

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