Press Releases
Realtor Service Volunteer Program Offers Free Assistance to Seniors May 5-9
Deadline for requests for assistance is March 15.
- For Immediate Release –
San Mateo, CA - Realtors and affiliates with the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® are once again embarking on the annual Realtor Service Volunteer Program (RSVP), which provides seniors and homebound residents in San Mateo County free assistance with household tasks which they cannot perform due to physical or financial constraints. RSVP week is set for May 5-9. The deadline for seniors to request assistance is Saturday, March 15.
The annual hands-on effort is organized each year by local Realtors in cooperation with various community organizations and senior centers. During RSVP Week, teams of Realtor and affiliate volunteers will visit senior citizens and perform various cleaning and household maintenance work free of charge.
“RSVP is one way we can give back to those who have built our communities,” said SAMCAR President Sue Walsh. “The program enables us to assist those most in need – seniors and the homebound, with basic and necessary household tasks that insure their safety and help them stay in their homes for a longer period of time.”
Seniors may request to have light bulbs replaced, house numbers installed, furnace filters changed, windows cleaned, mattresses turned or new smoke detector batteries installed. The volunteers also do some light vacuuming, move items from hard-to-reach shelves, rake leaves and trim overgrown hedges for safety.
RSVP was adopted as an official association community outreach project of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® in 2002. The program was expanded to members of the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® in 2003. The Fresno Association of REALTORS® followed suit three years ago. Last year, the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® came on board and offered the free service.
On the Peninsula and in the South Bay, the program now extends from as far north as Daly City to as far south as Gilroy. There are plans to expand the program to more Realtor Associations in California and around the nation.
In 2007, 570 Realtors and affiliates provided free help to nearly 400 home¬owners. In the San Mateo County, 183 SAMCAR Realtors and affiliates helped 149 senior residents.
Senior homeowners or renters who live in San Mateo County may contact SAMCAR Event Coordinator Beckie Patane at (650) 696-8220 for information and an application before the March deadline.
The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,800 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SAMCAR Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (650) 696-8200.
