Hello folks -
I'm feeling a bit contemplative today, and not quite so peppy. Three years ago this month, many of our own lost their homes due to flooding. Because of your generosity, we were able to issue emergency grants at that time and it made a huge difference.

In the past weeks we have seen several communities around the country greatly damaged by unusually violent storms.   The entire town of Joplin has been totally devastated by the vast destruction of the recent tornado, and it will be many years before this town and its residents recover—if ever.  How do you recover after experiencing such a huge loss?   The weather does not discriminate – people from all walks of life have been left homeless.   

Many of these people will live with family until  other arrangements can be made—they have the resources to rebuild their lives.  Think about those without the same resources—no family to help them and no resources to fall back on in a time of need.

These people are the newest faces of homelessness in this country. Keep these folks in your thoughts, and know that if disaster strikes central Indiana, your Foundation will do everything possible to help the recovery process along.

Hi everyone! It's Coach Scotten again with this week's pep talk!


I'm sure by now you know that it's been 100 years since the Indianapolis 500 mile race began. This year's outcome unfolded a great story in addition to its historical significance.  The winner of this year’s race is a former champion—a driver who lost his ride at the end of last year, and just prior to this year’s race was given an opportunity to complete in only this one race.  He certainly made the most of this  opportunity—he won the Indianapolis 500 for the 2^nd time to the delight of many fans and proved he is still an outstanding driver. 


The runner up this year was a young, energetic rookie who crashed in the last turn but still brought his car across the line in 2^nd place.  He decided to give it his all and go for the win, but made a critical mistake that cost him the race.

 

Many of those we help are down on their luck—they too have lost their “ride” or made a “critical mistake” along the way—one that has delayed them  from reaching the finish line.  With support from organizations like ours to provide life skill lessons and a roof over their heads, they too can reach the finish line.  They just need a chance to get back on track! 

I've seen a few good stories in the news lately about folks who are just down on their luck - this one is particularly inspiring. 
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112801/fight-to-rejoin-middle-class-usnews

Finally, I simply can't comment on this year's race without congratulating our own 'Race' winners - those offices who completed the transactional giving challenge:

ü  Carpenter, REALTORS® Smith Valley

ü  Carpenter, REALTORS® Avon West

ü  Carpenter, REALTORS® High School Road

ü  Keller Williams Indpls Metro N

ü  Keller Williams Indy Metro W
We look forward to pizza parties with all of you!

Ok, gang, listen up for this week's pep talk!

This week, I was invited to speak about the Foundation by two Carpenter offices. It’s so fun for me to tell others about my passion.  Yet, in the middle of the first meeting, I realized something very important: the work that the Foundation accomplishes isn’t about my passion – it’s about YOURS. Often when I speak at meetings, people will ask questions like, “Why doesn’t the Foundation give to my area?” or “Why doesn’t the Foundation give to my favorite organization?” The reality is that the REALTOR® Foundation was formed to act as your philanthropic arm and in the interest of all REALTORS®.

 

So, yes, Carpenter in Franklin, this is your charity that has granted to Christian Help right in your hometown for the last five years. And yes, Rita O’Rear in Carmel, this is your Foundation that has a new relationship with Promising Futures in Noblesville. And yes, Jay Pearl, this is your Foundation that is focusing tremendous energy and dollars to help neighbors in need in St. Clair Place through the Building a Living Legacy project, a grant to Stopover and a grant to Englewood Community Development Corp.

 

Your REALTOR® Foundation has granted more than $625,000 in the last eight years to central Indiana organizations. Your REALTOR® Foundation has helped thousands of Hoosier families get back on their feet. Your REALTOR® Foundation has heard the voice of over 400 of you and has made decisions that will better this community.

 

So I ask you, if you are one of the central Indiana real estate professionals who hasn’t embraced the work of the REALTOR® Foundation as your own point of personal or professional pride, why haven’t you? Get involved today at www.realtorfoundation.org.

With the month of May in full swing, the Foundation challenges you to its own kind of race – the one that can help end homelessness.

 

Will you promise to donate $10 from your next transaction? If you and at least nine others from your office agree to do so by May 31, we will reward you with a  pizza party. Who doesn't like free food?

 

All you need to do is to promise and send the 10 names to Molly Hahn at mollyhahn@realtorfoundation.com

 

With your donation, you will help a family like Brittany and her five children. Brittany is a client of Christian Help right here in Greenwood. If you have heard me speak, you have heard me say that in Greenwood, we used to think there weren’t homeless people in Johnson County. But, it turns out that there are. Brittany was left to fend for herself without notice when her husband was deported. She has recently enrolled in school and is looking for a job but has gotten support from Christian Help and several local church groups so she can survive on her own.

 

You can make a difference by donating $10 this time, and we hope you’ll consider donating it each time you have a transaction.

Know that $10 goes a long way in helping someone who has nothing.
To view a flyer on the contest, click here.

Hello, folks, your own Coach Scotten here again. Today's lesson is one that sounds more like it comes out of a dictionary, but have you thought about the meaning of "homelessness"? Not the image that comes into your mind - the actual definition. Being "homeless" means being "without a home" which is much more than being without a house.

I've been keeping a list of examples of people I have come across over the years who are without  someplace to call home. Click here for one of the articles that I saw in this past weekend's Indy Star which really illustrate my point - teenagers writing about other teens who are without a place to call home.

When you read this, do you feel called to action? What can you do to help those who have no place to call home? Could you:

• Repost this link?
• Volunteer your time or become a mentor?
• Make a donation, once or with every business transaction?

Make your choice, but make it knowing that you will help someone find much more than a house - a place to call home - and do your part in "linking hope to homeless."

I hope that all of you who are mothers had a fabulous Mother's Day yesterday. Maybe you read the well-timed article by Erika D. Smith in the Sunday Star which highlighted a mom getting a fresh start thanks to the Building a Living Legacy project in honor of the MIBOR Centennial. I met that mom last week and was impressed by the strength she has.

Some other moms who deserve recognition: What about the mothers at domestic violence shelters who spent yesterday safe with their children for the first time?

What about those moms who have fallen into addictive lifestyles and just want to beat their addiction so they can be better moms?

What about the teenage moms, or the ones with a disability, who are looking for better skills to provide for their children?

What about the moms who relocate so their children can have adequate access to health care, even if it means leaving everything they know?

These are all moms who have become my heroes. Thank you to all moms!

If you missed the article yesterday, here it is - http://www.indystar.com/article/20110508/NEWS19/105080368/Erika-D-Smith-Hope-moving-into-Near-Eastside?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com

Here is another response to my question about how to define homelessness - an excerpt from an account written by a Pathway to Recovery resident:
"My life today is full beyond compare. I have nearly four years of sobriety and I am active in a 12 step fellowship. During the last couple of years, God has truly blessed me. I got married to my beautiful wife in 2009. Also, my handsome son was born on September 11, 2009. He has changed my life forever and I love being a father. Plus, I will be graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy in May. Then I will start graduate school to earn my Masters of Arts in teaching this summer. If asked if I thought these accomplishments were possible four years ago, I would have laughed with true cynicism.

In the end, Pathway gave me more than sobriety. They gave me tools to live a healthy life. Instead of being on the streets and nearly dead, I’m of use to people. No matter how rough or stressful life gets I also have a sense of peace and direction. I know if I stay willing and stick to the basics of recovery I will never have to traverse the dark path of untreated mental illness and addiction again. None of these wonderful gifts would have ever been possible without Pathway to Recovery. At Pathway, hope is found."

Watching the Butler men's basketball team play over the weekend made me switch hats momentarily to that of "Coach Scotten, basketball coach". What Coach Brad Stevens has done for his program has been remarkable, but I find that all of us could learn a few lessons from their example.
 
First - Believe in yourself. It's so simple, and yet so many of us let ourselves believe that we aren't good enough or that someone else deserves what's good in life. I think this is as true for business professionals as it is for the homeless families we are helping.

Second - A small team working together can make a big impact. The Butler basketball players are not mighty, and on the court on Saturday they were outsized considerably.  How can you make a big impact? It doesn't take an army - just a group of dedicated and similar-minded individuals willing to work together. As a team, Butler has beaten the odds. Together, they have found success. Every little bit counts!

Third - Never give up! How many times did anyone watching Butler this season see them down by 10 or more points or on the verge of elimination, and think, "Well, that's over." Apparently the Butler players and coaching staff did not have those same thoughts. The team pushed on, the fans stood by them, and their coaches never let them lose hope.

No matter what happens in this weekend's FInal Four, the Butler players and its coach, Brad Stevens, have shown us all what the "Butler Way" means! Best of luck this weekend, Butler!

From guest blogger Molly Hahn:

I met a woman the other day who could have been my neighbor, living in a suburban house as recently as last year. It is obvious that she loves her children and wants the best for them. She was emotional at our meeting because in the last year, she lost everything – the house, her job, her children, her lifestyle. Each downfall led to another bad choice and another downfall. Last summer she found herself in a homeless shelter with nowhere to turn. Last week, she signed a lease to live in a Building a Living Legacy home and found a new beginning.

 

This is the face of homelessness to me: a working mom who needs a second chance. She and 31 other families are the reason why our Building a Living Legacy homes are not just houses – they are a symbol of hope for families, and it is one that will have true lasting impact on our community.

As our families continue to move into the Building a Living Legacy homes, we would like to welcome them with basic household items and groceries. Within the next 10 days there will be a total of 7 new families living in the homes and even more in the coming months. We are looking for offices to adopt Legacy homes in an effort to make each new family feel welcome and ready to start their new lives. Please contact me or visit www.mibor100.com to learn more about this opportunity.

 

If you have not contributed to Building a Living Legacy, do so today by clicking here. Every gift will help homeless families in central Indiana find a place to call home, and we hope you will consider a gift of $100 in honor of our 100 years at MIBOR!

I recently asked some of our grant recipients to help me define the face of homelessness after my previous post about our struggle with this concept. Here is a description from Bill Bickel, Director of Holy Family Services in Indianapolis:

"A common question we hear at Holy Family Shelter is the following: “Who is typically homeless?” We are quick to point out that no longer is the “typical homeless” those we usually saw just a few years ago – families who have generationally been at the lowest end of the poverty scale. Today, due to the nation’s economic, employment and housing crisis, homeless families who were previously part of the middle and lower-middle class are arriving here at Holy Family Shelter at an alarming rate. And while this demographic is changing, one sad statistic remains: The average age of an individual living at Holy Family Shelter is nine years old. Therefore, of the more than 1,000 homeless individuals we serve each year, the face of homelessness we see most often has names like Susie, Antonio, Jimmy, and Kayla."

What about you? How do you define 'the face of homelessness'? Would love to get your feedback - please share.

Who we serve: http://t.co/bULPozO  
How YOU can help: http://realtorfoundation.org/index.php/how-you-can-help/