VANCOUVER, BC – For dozens of local charities and the people they help, the November 18 – 25 timing of this year's REALTORS Care® Blanket Drive couldn't have been better.
For the 19th year in a row, REALTORS® collected enough donations of coats, blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing to help more than 20,000 people as the mercury plummeted.
“With the cold snap, your donation of blankets, gloves, and warm clothing mean so much to our clients,” said Maxine Davis, executive director of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. “Some of the recipients have shared with us that their living conditions are very cold right now, so these items were put to immediate use.”
The Dr. Peter Centre, one of Vancouver's recipient Blanket Drive charities, offers health programs and long-term and supportive housing to individuals with HIV/AIDS requiring specialized care.
Another regular beneficiary of the Blanket Drive is the Surrey Memorial Hospital's Patient Resource Department. Every year, the hospital receives winter coats to give to patients who need them.
Sharon Frizell is the hospital's manager of volunteer resources. "It’s really, really helpful. We could never have enough coats on hand without the REALTORS® Care Blanket Drive.
"Especially at this time of year, there are some people we care for who do not have adequate clothing for the cold weather. The REALTORS Care® initiative allows us to offer them a warm coat when they're released so they are protected from the elements."
Volunteer REALTORS® pick up, sort and deliver donations dropped off by colleagues, clients, the public, corporations, retailers, community groups and schools. The drop-off locations are real estate offices spread across the region, between Whistler and Hope.
Since 1994, the Blanket Drive has grown to become the largest collection of its kind in the Lower Mainland. Over the years, the program has assisted more than 225,000 people.
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