Since TRREB’s humble beginnings, our Members have played a meaningful role in the communities they serve by not only helping individuals and families achieve their homeownership dreams, but by giving back to shelter-based charities, food banks, and breakfast programs across the GTA.

 

Our Impact

TRREB Members wear many hats, including as trusted REALTORS®, experienced business leaders and dedicated volunteers. Discover more on how they connect communities beyond the call of real estate.

 

 


TRREB Members Help Build Strong Communities

Raising awareness for the importance of safe and affordable housing is a passion of TRREB Member REALTORS®.

That’s why on May 10 and 24, TRREB Members from the Young Professionals Network and Communications & Member Engagement Committee gathered for the Habitat for Humanity GTA TRREB Build Days on Old Weston Road in Toronto to help construct a home.

Since 2014, 132 volunteer TRREB Members have participated in 17 team Build Days across the GTA, including Toronto, Durham and York Regions, Brampton and Caledon, resulting in 924 volunteer hours to date.

Habitat for Humanity GTA is one of many shelter-based charities TRREB supports through the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation’s Every REALTOR® Campaign. Over the past 19 years, Habitat for Humanity GTA has received approximately $1M in donations from TRREB through the annual Campaign or other support efforts.

Through the dedication of volunteers, Build Days connect families to safe and stable communities through homeownership.

Photo of the team helping with the construction.
Photo of the team helping with the construction.

 


News

Share Your Story

REAL heroes don’t wear capes and don’t have superpowers. They’re all around us, in plain sight, in our video calls, in line at the grocery store or passing us on the sidewalk. Our Members know first-hand what it takes to build great neighbourhoods, and we see it come to life in their good deeds and selfless acts.

That’s why we’re shining a spotlight on TRREB Members – our unsung heroes – who go above and beyond to give back to their communities.

Help us spark inspiration and share your story, or tell us about a fellow TRREB Member who has made a difference and gone beyond the call of real estate. Whether it’s supporting your local charity, food drive, or an organization that you’re passionate about, we want to hear about it. Simply email the acts of kindness to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., send a photo to help tell the story, and a contact from the worthy cause.

And, keep your eye out on TRREBWire.ca and our social media channels to read the stories from the REAL Heroes.

Get Involved

Giving back is at the heart of what our Members do. TRREB Members have long supported Habitat for Humanity, including TRREB’s Build Days – they have rolled up their sleeves and donned hard hats and safety glasses to build much-needed homes for low-income working families seeking affordable housing.

It doesn’t stop there. During the Toronto Foundation for Student Success’ (TFSS) Feed Tomorrow Week, our Members helped bring attention to child hunger and the need for student nutrition. And before the pandemic, over 100 Members volunteered over 32,000 hours annually at 16 schools, cooking and serving meals in support of TFSS’s Feeding Our Future: Children's Breakfast Program.

Our many volunteering efforts have had a ripple effect – not only a positive impact on children’s health and home stability but also supporting their education and development. 

Look out for upcoming volunteer opportunities to land on this page.

Community Support – Apply for a Grant

Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grants

Did you know that the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) supports many GTA shelters, food banks and helplines?

TRREB, in partnership with the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation (ORCF), is proud to support essential programs and services provided by the many GTA charitable organizations that positively impact some of the most vulnerable people within our communities.

Each donation goes beyond a bed for the night and contributes to vital shelter operations, including medical care, daily meals, youth resources, and services to help those in need get back on their feet.

TRREB participates annualy in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign whereby TRREB donates $1 per Member per Month. Since 2008, TRREB Members have donated more than $7 million through the ORCF.

Making a Difference

Watch below for first-hand accounts of how TRREB’s ORCF donations are making a difference in your local communities.

Breakfast Program

Children breakfast program logo.

TRREB's Breakfast Program Volunteers Needed
TRREB's Children's Breakfast Program in need of Volunteers. TRREB's Children's Breakfast Program has grown from two schools in 2008 to include 16 schools within the GTA.  

Volunteering is an activity you can share with family, friends, neighbours and clients; everyone is welcome to join our team!  Please help us to provide a nutritious breakfast to children in our communities to ensure they begin each day ready and able to learn and succeed. 

If you or someone you know is able to commit to one hour for one morning a week to assist with the Children’s Breakfast Program in any of the following participating schools, please contact Carolyn Griffis at 416-409-6221 to volunteer. 

* Please note that volunteering for the Children’s Breakfast Program is available to high school students and counts towards the 40 volunteer hours required to graduate. 

  • Bellmere Junior Public School
  • Blake Street Junior Public School
  • Brock Public School
  • Corvette Junior Public School
  • D.A. Morrison Middle School
  • Dixon Grove Junior Public School
  • Duke of Connaught Public School
  • Eastview Junior Public School
  • First Nations Public School
  • George Vanier Secondary School
  • Lord Dufferin Public School
  • Mason Road Junior Public School
  • Nelson Mandela Park School
  • Ryerson Community School
  • Secord Elementary School
  • Sprucecourt Public School
  • Thorncliffe Park Public School
  • Kingslake Public School
  • Valley Park Middle School
  • Woodbine Junior High School

TREB Supports "Feed Tomorrow"

Since 2008, TREB Member contributions through the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Every REALTOR® Campaign, have supported the Student Nutrition Programs of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS). 

On October 23, TFSS held "Feed Tomorrow" week to raise awareness about child hunger and the need for student nutrition. Events during the week included a VIP Bus Tour that travelled to two schools to see student breakfast programs in action.

TREB would like to thank President-Elect Lisa Patel and Board Director Members Keith Kwan, Lori Roberts, and Kate Young for their recent participation on the Tour.

 

TREB's Relationship with the Toronto Foundation for Student Success

TREB Members have continuously given back to the communities they live and work in.

Over 100 TREB Members volunteer hours of their own time at 16 schools across the GTA by cooking and serving food on behalf of TFSS's Feeding Our Future: Children's Breakfast Program.

Well over 32,000 REALTOR® volunteer hours are accumulated every school year, and the quality of the programs would not be possible without the generous contribution from TREB Members. 

TREB's Participation in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation

From helping their clients find their dream home to donating to shelter-based charities, improving the quality of life for residents in the communities they serve is an important priority for professional TREB Member REALTORS®.

Since 2008, a total of over $5 million has been donated to the campaign and directed to shelter-based charities across the TREB Member area through TREB's participation in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign.

In 2018 alone, $616,466 was raised by TREB Members and was successfully donated to 74 shelter-based charities across the GTA.

At TREB's May 2019 Spring Annual Meeting, TREB Member REALTORS® voted to participate in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign for the twelfth consecutive year by donating $1 per Member per month to the charity.

Habitat for Humanity

Through various fundraising events, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Members have been able to raise money to make significant contributions to charities such as Habitat for Humanity GTA, resulting in the construction of a Habitat home for a family in need.

 

 


 

TRREB's Summer Build Days

July 23, 2019 --TREB's Summer Build Days have officially wrapped up and we would like to thank all the TREB Members who dedicated their time for a great cause!

On the mornings of Wednesday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 17, TREB Members gathered at
the Habitat for Humanity GTA 140 Pinery Trail site in Toronto to participate in the construction of a Habitat home.

On day one of TREB's Summer Build Days, President-Elect Lisa Patel, alongside TREB's Board of Director Lori Roberts gave a warm welcome to all the Members who showed up bright and early.

President-Elect Lisa Patel continued her welcome with a few words on how their participation during TREB's Summer Build Days plays a positive role in the communities they serve.

TREB's Board of Directors Kevin Crigger and Susan Gucci were onsite to kick off day two and followed suit by greeting participants and also touching upon TREB's longstanding relationship with Habitat for Humanity.

TREB's Past Contributions to Habitat for Humanity

Did you know TREB has been contributing to Habitat for Humanity GTA since 1999? TREB has donated a total of $795,000 to date in support of providing a sustainable path to home ownership for low-income working families.

This year alone, TREB donated $75,000 to the organization as a Build Level Partner.

This contribution is the result of funds raised through TREB's continued commitment to donate $1 per Member per Month to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation, something Members vote on each year at TREB's Spring Annual Meeting.

As part of the $795,000, TREB contributed $150,000 to support the home ownership dreams of the Kabir-Akter family and their new home at the Pinery Trail Site. If you want to read more about the Kabir-Akter family and TREB's contribution, click here.

If you missed this year's Summer Build Days, stay tuned to Stratus and social media for the next opportunity to get together with other like-minded TREB Members and have fun while supporting a great cause!

Thank you again to all the TREB Members who participated in Summer Build Days!


 

TRREB builds Habitat Home

June 14, 2010 -- TRREB has again joined forces with Habitat for Humanity Toronto to provide simple, decent and affordable housing for families currently living in substandard housing in the GTA. TRREB is building one of 29 townhome units at 4572 Kingston Road in Scarborough. This site represents the 225th affordable home build by Habitat Toronto since 1988.

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Recently, TRREB President Tom Lebour was invited to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of this newest site and meet the TRREB partner family selected by Habitat for Humanity Toronto as the new home owners of TRREB's Habitat Home build.

The Matin Family of six was on site on June 8th to share in the shovel presentation at the groundbreaking. Merajuddin Matin is looking forward to moving his wife and four children into their new home upon completion. "Right now our life is very difficult" Merajuddin explains. "We're six people living in a small, two bedroom apartment. A new home means a brighter future for our children".

Since 2003, TRREB has contributed to six other home builds with Habitat for Humanity Toronto, including a co-sponsorship home build with OREA in 2005 at Lakeshore Villages.

More about TRREB and Habitat for Humanity.

Stay tuned! The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation’s 2021 application and instructions for submission to TRREB will be available early July.

2020 Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grants

Are you, or do you know, a shelter-related charity that could benefit from a grant?

Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation (ORCF) grant applications for 2020 are now available, and we encourage you to apply or to invite local shelter-based charities to submit an application to TRREB before the August 15, 2020, deadline for TRREB’s consideration of endorsement (see application process details below).

 

ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS

Only local, shelter-related charities are eligible for the grant. The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation defines shelter as "a refuge, haven or protection that provides or improves quality of life from hunger, the elements, physical/psychological abuse, disabilities and illness."

 

GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS & DEADLINE

2020 Grant Application Forms are available here.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY — THE PROCESS IS DIFFERENT THAN NOTED ON THE ORCF APPLICATION.

Your grant application MUST be forwarded to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB). Please DO NOT send your application directly to ORCF.

An endorsement letter from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board is NOT required at time of application; the endorsement process will start after your application is received by TRREB.

In order to be considered for endorsement by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, please forward your completed and signed 2020 Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grant Application package (including all required supporting documentation) by August 15, 2020* to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Once your completed application has been received by TRREB, no further action is required.

IMPORTANT NOTE
*The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grant Application Form shows September 30, 2020, as the deadline for application. This is actually the deadline for TRREB to send our list of endorsed charitable organizations to the Foundation. Please abide by the August 15, 2020, deadline for sending your application directly to TRREB for endorsement.

Endorsement Process:

  • All grant applications received by TRREB will be vetted to ensure compliance with the grant criteria.
  • All applications are then reviewed by TRREB’s Member Communications Committee for recommendation of endorsement.
  • Committee recommendations are then forwarded to TRREB’s Board of Directors for review and approval of endorsement.
  • Each charity will be notified of TRREB’s decision, whether approved or not.
  • If an endorsement is given, the completed application will be submitted on your behalf by TRREB to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation before the September 30, 2020, deadline.
  • Decisions from the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation on grant awards are made in late fall, and the grant amounts are sent before the end of the year.

Click here for the 2020 Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grant Application Form.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Christine Shallhorn, Manager, Copy Editing & Corporate Giving, at TRREB at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

ABOUT THE ONTARIO REALTORS CARE® FOUNDATION’S EVERY REALTOR® CAMPAIGN

At TRREB's June 2020 virtual spring Annual Meeting, GTA REALTORS® voted to participate in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign for the thirteenth consecutive year by donating $1 per Member per month. Since 2008, $5 million has been donated to the campaign directed to shelter-based charities across the TRREB Member area.

Watch this video for firsthand accounts of how TRREB’s donations are making a difference in your local communities.