Get Involved with the REALTORS® Youth Benefit Corporation
How did the REALTORS® Youth Benefit Corporation come to be?
In 1983, a group of Southeastern Vermont Board of REALTORS® members got involved in the NAR (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®) Make America Better Committee. The local effort was led by Judy Gellert and Al Carbone. At about the same time Frank Martocci, Cathy Eakins, John Morrison and a number of other SEVBR members were working on building a picnic area in Dummerston, just below the covered bridge when they heard a story about the young daughter of a Dummerston, VT, farmer who was having serious medical problems. The family had no health insurance and was about to lose their dairy farm. This group of REALTORS® wanted to help these folks and Al Carbone came up with the idea for REALTORS® Youth Benefit Corporation. RYBC borrowed money from the SEVBR and got the charity started. Make America Better and the picnic area morphed into the Realtor Youth Benefit Corporation and RYBC was able to give the family $500 toward their medical bills.
How has money been raised to continue and expand this effort to help local youth?
Soon after Frank Martocci that got RYBC involved with the Brattleboro Union High School Career Center. At the time, the Career Center built houses to provide hands on training for BUHS students. Al Carbone, Frank Martocci and John Morrison went to First Vermont Bank and borrowed money to purchase the Career Center's recent project, a house on Williams Street. Brattleboro attorney Tim O'Connor became involved and RYBC converted the Williams Street house into a two unit condominium, selling both units and making a significant profit. They then built and sold a house in Carriage Hill, which was less profitable. than they work on Another break-even house project which proved the end of RYBC's housing construction.
The next fund raiser took the form of a raffle for GEO Metro convertible which netted the group a few thousand dollars. Since then the only RYBC fund raiser has been its annual golf tournament.
How has RYBC helped area youth?
RYBC continues to help with youth's needs that are not able to be met via insurance, family financial limitations or in times of crisis. These needs vary from eyeglasses, dental care or other needs often directed to the committee by the school nurse, social worker or a social service agency to allowing the child to get a therapeutic break from problems of living with a less than adequate income. This might be obtaining a pool pass for the summer, going to camp for a week or taking some lessons that will introduce the child to a constructive outlet while not having structures time or adult supervision available to them.
RYBC has also for years provided teddy bears to the local fire departments, EMT and police to give to children at the time of an accident, fire or other crisis.
The distribution committee has funded in excess of $150,000 toward such needs today at about $150-$200 each.
The program is the oldest community-based program run by a board of REALTORS® in the country.
How can others help in the success of this effort?
Membership can help by:
- Identifying areas of need in their community and contact persons to educate on how we can help and how they can support the program
- Identify members who could help in the following ways:
- Spearhead a small fundraiser geared to their community and sphere of friends
- Volunteer to help with a portion of the PR of RYBC
- Volunteer to be on the disbursement committee to review applications from their geographic area
- Help with others in the planning and carrying out of new fundraisers for the whole boar to be a part of
For more information, please contact Barb Yanke, (802-258-6021), or David Brown, (802-257-1111) or contact SVBR.
