Giving Back to Our Community Through Associated Ministries
Each time a Windermere real estate agent sells a home, a portion of the sale is donated to the Windermere Foundation, a non-profit that was started in 1989. Since then, the Windermere Foundation has grown exponentially, and has raised over $30 million for various programs and organizations! We feel that it’s important to support our communities, especially the low-income and homeless families who live in them.
Every year, a portion of the money donated to the Windermere Foundation comes back to us to spend in our local community. This year we were able to donate $10,000 to Associated Ministries. Located in Tacoma, Associated Ministries works to provide families with a wide range of services. Their ultimate goal is “to build a stronger community by building stronger households,” and a few of their services include “providing Centralized Intake for Homelessness Intervention through Access Point for Housing (AP4H); assisting families and individuals with re-housing; working with faith communities to reduce barriers to housing and to create new affordable housing; and youth homelessness prevention.” You can learn more about their excellent services here.
The incredible resources provided by Associated Ministries definitely hits close to home here at Windermere Professional Partners. Both REALTOR® DeAnne Davidson and REALTOR® Carmen Ruby have loved ones who have been positively impacted by Associated Ministries, and they were kind enough to share their stories with us!
A Story of Home Preservation with REALTOR® DeAnne Davidson
DeAnne’s longtime friend (and now client) Melissa received help from Associated Ministries for over two years. When Melissa and her husband went through a divorce, Melissa struggled to find an affordable source to help her as a homeowner. Associated Ministries worked to help save her house with a loan modification, and Mel Shockenbrock of AM stood by her side, offering hope and support.
“[Mel] kept encouraging her and myself to stay patient and positive and a result would happen,” DeAnne said. “He was correct. [Melissa] was ultimately unable to financially keep her house and he became her liaison during a long short sale process. As hard as this was for her, he kept her feeling she was the one making the choice by teaching her what all her options were.”
In DeAnne’s opinion, Associated Ministries has had an incredibly positive role in our community: “I am a real estate broker with Windermere Professional Partners. In 2015, we chose AM as our local charity. I, along with many other brokers, were lucky enough to have recently participated in the presentation of a $10,000 check to Associated Ministries from the Windermere Foundation. It was at this presentation that I learned AM is the same affiliate that has been so amazing for my friend. [I also learned how AM] offers so much to the community in many ways of housing. I must say, I am so impressed with how [everyone I met is so dedicated] to the community in this crisis.”
Making a Big Impact with REALTOR® Carmen Ruby
Carmen and her family worked with Associated Ministries to paint the home of an elderly family member, which was a wonderful opportunity to all involved!
“It was such an amazing experience to give back and know and love the one that was receiving the gift,” Carmen shared with us. The impact on Carmen Ruby personally was allowing her the ability to give her time and make a difference in the life of another person. While she gives her time to important causes regularly, this case was different, and she believes that the impact the experience had on her soul is immeasurable.
The Associated Ministries program to beautify Tacoma not only provided to her family and her mother-in-law, but it also had a positive impact on the entire neighborhood: “The neighbors in the area benefited with neighborhood pride or ownership improving,” Carmen observed. “In addition, we noticed that the improvement was somewhat contagious, and homeowners and renters around the neighborhood also did some exterior improvements to their homes.”
The long list of important offerings that Associated Ministries provides is a true value to our community, and we are honored to contribute to such a worthy cause!
Are you interested in volunteering at or donating to Associated Ministries? Could someone you know benefit from their services? You can learn more here!