A first for the real estate industry
TORONTO, April 14, 2014 /CNW/ - Royal LePage Real Estate Services has been named the 2015 Outstanding Corporate Citizen by the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). Royal LePage, Canada's largest and oldest real estate firm, received this award for demonstrating sustained support for the local communities through its network of over 600 brokerage offices from coast to coast, and for philanthropic innovation on a national scale. The company's 16,000 Realtor® network has raised over $20 million through the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, the largest public foundation in Canada committed to ending violence in the home, and providing support to the women and children who fall victim to it.
In establishing the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation in 1998, Royal LePage – the only national real estate company with its own branded charity – set out to create an engaged, philanthropic culture across the company, where management, agents, staff and clients joined together to support shelters for women and their children within their communities. Since that time, Royal LePage has helped hundreds of thousands of women and children safely escape domestic violence. The foundation has also funded major research projects that have led to the development of national educational programs aimed at helping youth develop healthy relationships.
"More than just our tagline, 'Helping you is what we do™' represents our collective commitment to giving back to the communities in which we live and work," said Phil Soper, President and CEO, Royal LePage. "I am extremely proud of the women and men of Royal LePage, for their ongoing financial commitment to our foundation, and for the compassion they show through countless hours of volunteer work for the cause. The good works we do wouldn't be possible without the immense support we receive from business partners and clients."
The Outstanding Corporate Citizen Award is awarded annually to a franchise system that has demonstrated genuine and ongoing concern and support for a community or social service organization. Royal LePage is the only real estate company to ever win this award.
"Royal LePage Realtors® understand that a house is only a home when families are safe and happy", said Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. "Unfortunately, for thousands of women and children in Canada who experience domestic violence, this is not the case. On average, every six days a Canadian woman is killed by her current or former partner. That's why Royal LePage is so committed to providing a safe haven for women and children who have experienced violence and abuse."
All administrative costs of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation are underwritten by Royal LePage, ensuring 100 per cent of all donations goes to the cause and gives hope to thousands of women and children escaping domestic violence.
About Royal LePage
Serving Canadians since 1913, Royal LePage is the country's leading provider of services to real estate brokerages, with a network of over 16,000 real estate professionals in more than 600 locations nationwide. Royal LePage is the only Canadian real estate company to have its own charitable foundation, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, dedicated to supporting women's and children's shelters and educational programs aimed at ending domestic violence. Royal LePage is a Brookfield Real Estate Services Inc. company, a TSX-listed corporation trading under the symbolTSX:BRE. For more information visit: royallepage.ca
About Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada's largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women's shelters and ending violence against women and children. Through agent commission donations and the fundraising activities of the Royal LePage network, the foundation has raised more than $20 million to help provide a safe haven and new beginnings for more than 30,000 women and children every year. To break the cycle of violence, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation also supports violence prevention and education programs. All funds raised by Royal LePage offices remain in their local community and because Royal LePage pays all administrative costs, 100 per cent of all money and effort goes toward this important cause. For more information visit: royallepage.ca/shelter
SOURCE Royal LePage Real Estate Services
Ray McIlroy, Kaiser Lachance Communications, O: 647-725-2520 ext. 215, C: 647-680-8316, [email protected]; Shanan Spencer-Brown, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, O: 416-510-5750, C: 647-300-9208, [email protected]
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