The last few weeks have been a challenging time around the world, with the COVID-19 virus spreading and impacting our communities heavily. Through this time, we would like to thank our frontline healthcare workers and essential businesses for the hard work and dedication we have seen to keep our loved ones safe and healthy.
We are thankful to work in such great communities and many of our agents have been working tirelessly to support their local businesses and neighbours through this difficult period.
Here are a few of the things our agents our doing in support of our communities:
“During trying times would anyone like some ice cream? I am helping deliver Dutch Dreams Ice Cream to doorsteps around Toronto! Please email me to place an order!”
– Lynne Elkind, Sales Representative
“Our Collingwood Business Improvement Area (BIA) is running a weekly contest to support local downtown Collingwood businesses. Please enter now! I will also be posting my online submissions. My goal is to do one a day for the next month.”
Details and further information can be found at www.collingwooddowntown.com, and on our blog here.
– Keith Hull, Broker
“The community initiative was started by a friend and neighbor of ours in Chaplin Estates, and we have supported it financially on a personal level. Feed the Frontlines TO aims to keep our local restaurants in business as well as nourish our frontline workers, which is just fabulous. It has been featured on Metro Morning on the CBC as well as Global News.”
–Heather Harris, Broker
–Lauren Walker, Sales Representative
“I am working with a community organized group sewing masks that are being sent to shelters, nursing homes and whomever else needs them. If anyone sews and wants to help it would be greatly appreciated if you can contact me at dawna@dawnasatov.com.
–Dawna Satov, Sales Representative
Photo by Volha Flaxeco on Unsplash
“My client closing gifts are all gift certificates to local restaurants and retailers so that my clients can enjoy these when it is safe to do so but the businesses are paid now.
My daughter and I tune in to Circle Time with the College-Montrose Children’s Place every day via Zoom. This is a free service normally run out of Artscape in Trinity Bellwoods and it is a much-loved hub for children of all ages. It is important to continue to engage with these invaluable resources to maintain a sense of community.”
– Merete Lewis, Sales Representative
“I have made a monetary donation to my local food bank.”
– Steve Jelenic, Sales Representative
“I have been reaching out on social media (and personally) to my network to see if I can secure face masks and donations of other personal protective equipment for hospitals in need. Dentists are no longer practising (other than emergencies) and they wear masks, as do other such professions. All my donations are earmarked for the front line medical teams at this hospital.
… featuring on my insta stories independent business people who I deal with in my business or personal life. They face unique challenges as independent entrepreneurs and I want to give my followers an opportunity to support a local business person.”
– Melissa Berall, Sales Representative
“With schools now closed, combined with those parents now unable to work altogether during this pandemic, many are going hungry or finding it ever so difficult to put food on the table.
In an effort to help a local school, I raised awareness and personally drove to friends and families homes to pick up food items (within safe measures) that they were willing to donate. The resources were pooled at the school and delivered to those families in need. I don’t have kids of my own, but this upset me to hear and see!”
– Kate Ryley, Sales Representative
“A nurse from our local ICU in Bracebridge asked for donated baby monitors. We had two extra and were happy to pass them along. We also made a donation to our local South Muskoka Hospital Foundation directly to the: Emergency preparedness for Covid19”
– Samantha Waldie, Sales Representative
“I have let them [clients and loved ones] know I am available to pick up or deliver any necessary items they may need if they are not comfortable venturing out into the stores.
I am also a Mindfulness and Yoga instructor and have been working on my own daily practice, along with helping others who are currently struggling with their own mental and physical health. We are all in this together and our mental and physical health is the most important thing we can focus on right now.”
-Trish Drynan, Sales Representative
“While the local food bank is no longer accepting actual food, they are accepting cash donations to purchase food for the bank or hand out gift cards. This is highly needed during this difficult time for those less fortunate and do not know where their next meal will come from. Jack and I are donating money with every order we make. We hope others will consider this basic necessity for others.”
– Jack Janssen and Carrie Trip, Sales Representatives
“Since I’m healthy and haven’t travelled anywhere for a while I’ve been helping several of my neighbours in Huntsville who are unable right now to go out to get their groceries.”
– Susan Brown, Sales Representative
“I have 3 self isolating teenagers at home to feed (lots of cooking these days 🙂 so my 16 year old daughter and I took the opportunity this morning when heading out for food to contact half a dozen neighbours as well as family friends in our general vicinity over the age of 70, to ask what we could get them at the store & on their doorstep on our way home.”
– Melissa Hylton, Sales Representative
“I have called seniors with an offer to get them groceries or prescriptions and included a message of support in my monthly newsletter. I am also sending cards using the SendOutCards service I use just to keep in touch as well as give ideas to keep kids entertained.”
– Chip Barkel, Sales Representative
There are many ways you can support your local communities, and we have provided many options below for you to do so:
Agents statements have been edited for length and/or clarity.
