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   Take for example Breckenridge...

Take for example Breckenridge, Colorado RE/MAX real estate agent Kelli Bennett. Her website goes by the moniker "Kelli Sells", but Ms. Bennett is definitely a giver. Several years ago her boss handed the office staff $500 and told them to do whatever they wanted with it. Ideas bounced around- everything from a company dinner to a nice new digital camera for the office was suggested. Kelli had different plans for the money though. None of the self serving ideas struck a chord with her, and she knew something special should be done with the extra cash- something that would make a charitable impact on the community.

This instance occurred just a week before Christmas that year. Kelli decided that it would be a great idea to have local children down to the office and give each one a toy and a chance to visit Santa. Despite the short notice and complexity of the idea, she pulled it off. Now fast forward to present day. The day has an official name - "Santa at RE/MAX" - and is a staple of the holiday season each and every year in Summit County. This past season Kelli and another staffer went and purchased 300 toys for the event. Well over 200 children, along with their parents, attended the event this year. The day was a great success and Kelli tells people that the only "rule" for the day is that absolutely no real estate is discussed.

In Minneapolis, brokers from area commercial real estate firms get together once a year to play in a charity hockey game. The Opus Cup is in its ninth year, and crowds turn out to watch these men hit the ice, and sometimes each other, all in the name of charity. Some are seasoned hockey players that played in college. Both goalies in this year's game played college hockey. Don't be fooled- this game is highly competitive and features a number of players who are just as comfortable skating around an ice rink as they are showing people around a property. The event benefits the charity "Hope for the City", founded by Welsh Company CEO Dennis Doyle. Hope for the City collects and redistributes overstocked items such as food, clothing, and medical supplies. Last year the event raised over $27,000.

In New Jersey, commercial real estate firm Matrix Development Group bought two office buildings and nine acres of parking lots in Brunswick. Rather than settling for just a corporate presence in the community, President and Chief Executive Joseph Taylor began looking for a way to integrate the company into the community in a charitable fashion. Matrix is currently the backer for Elijah's Promise. The charity is a Soup Kitchen, Counseling Center, and Catering School. In 2007 there were approximately 95,000 meals served to the needy at Elijah's Promise.

The New York Times recently ran a piece about charity in the real estate industry. That is how relevant and prevalent the two have become together. Within the real estate industry, companies are not only looking to put their stamp on a market by selling homes or commercial properties. From heartfelt grassroots efforts like Kelli Bennett's to big time undertakings such as Matrix's Elijah's Promise, real estate agents and companies are leaving their mark on communities and touching people's lives every day through ongoing charity work and charity events that are embraced by everyone in the area. Agents once thought of as slick salespeople have been rebranded as agents of change and agents of charity simply by keeping it real.

About the Author

Kelli Bennett is a real estate agent in Summit County, Colorado. Kelli and her team sell homes in Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Heeney, Keystone, and Silverthorne, Colorado.