10% of all proceeds will go directly to the Intero Foundation.

The Intero Foundation raises money to benefit children in their community.

All year long is the season of giving for the agents at Intero Real Estate Services.  Through the Intero Foundation (www.interofoundation.org), a non-profit organization, created by the founders of Intero Real Estate Services in 2002, the agents, along with their families and friends, raise money to support organizations that positively impact the growth and well-being of children in need in their communities.

So far, this year, the Intero Foundation has generated over $94,000 through fundraising events as well as agent and employee contributions, far surpassing donations in the same timeframe last year.

The money raised by the Foundation is given to various non-profits through their grant program.  This process includes submission of a Grant Proposal from the organization that is then reviewed by the Foundation Committee.  Grants are given out once a quarter to a different region. This past quarter, the Foundation focused on the South County areas of Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Hollister as well as the Silver Creek area of San Jose.  The next round of grants due in June will focus on the Bay Area Peninsula.  

“At Intero, we truly believe in our commitment to giving back to the communities we work in and the Intero Foundation is our way of demonstrating that,” Says Cathy Jackson, Intero Foundation President.  “We pride ourselves in continuing to support a wide range of organizations all with the mission of helping children in need.”

Just this past month, the Foundation gave $37,500 to the following organizations:

1.      DreamPower (dreampowerhorsemanship.com) – Provides therapeutic horsemanship programs and services to children, teens and adults with special needs. The Intero Foundation has supported DreamPower since 2007, giving them a total $64,500 over the past six years.

2.      Chamberlain’s Children Center (chamberlaincc.org) – Empowers at-risk children in a home-like environment to heal from past trauma, discover their strengths, and develop the skills they need to achieve life-long success. A first time grantee.

3.      Small Steps (smallstepssbc.org) – Provides warm winter coats and shoes for children of San Benito County that may not otherwise receive these needed items. The Intero Foundation has supported Small Steps since 2004, giving them a total $75,500 over the past nine years.

4.      Community Solutions (communitysolutions.org) – Creates opportunities for positive change by promoting and supporting the full potential of individuals, the strengths of families, and the well-being of our community.  A first time grantee.

5.      Teen Force (teenforce.org) – A self-sustaining non-profit organization that helps teens (ages 14-20) gain work experience. A first time grantee.

6.      Next Door Solutions (nextdoor.org) – Promotes safety for battered women and their children through emergency shelter; multiple points of entry for victims; individuals, system and institutional advocacy; crisis intervention; education for victims and the community; and the changing of community norms through prevention activities. A first time grantee.

Find out more about the Intero Foundation by visiting their website: interofoundation.org

To apply for a grant for your non-profit organization, see the grant application guidelines here.

In fact, within the last 30 days agents around the bay area pulled together more than $15,000 benefitting the company’s non-profit organization, the Intero Foundation, dedicated to positively impacting the growth and well-being of children in the local community.

Collectively, agents organized three fundraisers, all of which became more successful than expected.

First, in the parking lot of the Intero Saratoga office, Sam’s ChowderMobile was hosted. This food truck is well known in the area for featuring Sam’s Chowder House of Half Moon Bay’s infamous lobster rolls and clam chowder. Intero REALTOR^®, Kim Connor orchestrated this event, and out of the goodness of her own heart matched the truck’s sales that afternoon donating $3,500 directly to the Intero Foundation.

On Saturday May 4^th, the devoted Intero Saratoga office hosted Hot Wheels For Kids, an annual car show which featured over 70 cars ranging from a 2011 Challenger Hemi to a 1930 Ford Model A. There was a visit from special guest – Dwight “The Catch” Clark, former San Francisco 49er who donated an autographed football, complete with a drawing of “The Catch” play as one of the prizes.

Trophies went to some of the most outstanding cars, including First Place Pre-1975 to John Cross with his powerful 1970 ‘Cuda, First Place Post -1975 to Bryan Rose with his pristine 2011 Challenger Hemi. “South of the Border” award went to the 1956 Chevy Delivery owned by Ronnie Ogas, and the People’s Choice was awarded to Manny Sereno’s 1930 Ford Model A.

The car show all together brought in $7,000 all benefitting the Intero Foundation. To see photos visit the Foundation’s Facebook page.

The last fundraiser, which took place on May 9^th, was a bowling night at Cambrian Bowl in San Jose.  Organized by Intero Almaden’s Kraig Constantino, the event sold out quickly with 180 participants including friends, family, Intero agents, and affiliates and brought in $5,600 for the Foundation.

“Intero Real Estate Services’ agents are truly dedicated to giving back to the children in their local community,” said Cathy Jackson, President of the Intero Foundation.  “No matter the time, no matter the effort, these agents care. I applaud them for going the extra mile this last month. The $15,600 donated will make a huge impact on the lives of so many local kids.”

Look forward to the next Foundation event, Saratoga Eats, A Neighborhood Food Truck Adventure, which will take place at the Intero Saratoga office on June 14^th from 5-9pm.  For more information about this event and other upcoming events go to interofoundation.org.

“I really enjoyed the show…..start to finish.  It was a classy event, even the flyer announcing the event.  It was a nice setting with all the shade trees, the donuts and coffee to the hamburgers and hotdogs.  The visit by Dwight Clark and his willingness to go around and shake hands and take pics with car owners and their cars was the “frosting on the cake”.  I hope next year he will sign some of the pics that we all took.  I’ll be spreading the word to attend next year’s show. “ - Dean Hammer, 1965 Chevy Impala SS

“I will be sure to be at your car show next year. It was one of the best shows I have attended in my 14yrs of attending shows. Please keep me posted on your future shows.”  – Tony Sanchez, 1969 Chevy Camaro

Hope to see you all out there at the 4th Annual Hot Wheels for Kids in May 2014!

This is THE feel-good event of the year when it comes to fundraisers….everyone you look at is all smiles.  The pride of ownership that the car guys have just radiates through the crowd.  The music provided by Gabe & Connie Gabrielson, along with baby son William, and the BBQ aroma courtesy of Tim McDonnell  of the Ultimate BBQ, added to the party atmosphere.  We also had a special guest – our friend and colleague Dwight Clark, who stopped by to check out the cars, chat and take pictures, and autograph a football, complete with a drawing of “The Catch” play.  That football, one of the hottest prizes up for raffle, was won by Chevelle Club member  Michael Crusco.  The other big raffle winner of the day, taking home the iPad Mini, was a very excited Lia Alon, who along with her big sister Dana, came out to do face painting for the kids.

Trophies went to some of the most outstanding cars, including First Place Pre-1975 to John Cross with his powerful  1970 ‘Cuda, First Place Post -1975 to Bryan Rose with his pristine 2011 Challenger Hemi, “South of the Border” award to the super cool 1956 Chevy Delivery owned by Ronnie Ogas, and People’s Choice to Manny Sereno’s 1930 Ford Model A.

This car show would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors, raffle donors, and agent volunteers who helped staff the show.  Special thanks to the car show team…David Rudden, Kelli Dixon, Mark Jongsma, Sharon Hart, and Cathy Jackson, all of whom committed to months of planning and coordinating in order to pull of the biggest Hot Wheels for Kids yet!

Click Here to check out photos from the show….Enjoy!

It makes me smile just thinking about it.  Beautiful cars from across many eras, sunshine, music, family and friends, all coming together to support an incredible cause.  It takes months of planning and promoting, but two years after it all started with a dream to host a different kind of fundraiser, we like to think we are getting the hang of this car show stuff.  We are expecting the biggest turnout yet for the upcoming Third Annual show.  We even got some local press coverage courtesy of the Saratoga News….check it out!  http://www.mercurynews.com/saratoga/ci_23134772/some-hot-wheels-will-raise-money-kids

What do you get when you mix a beautiful spring day, table and chairs and bring one amazing food truck to Intero Saratoga all in the name of raising funds for the Intero Foundation?  A Third Successful Mobile Sea Food Adventure!

Let’s take a step back and start at the beginning.  It all started a year ago in an attempt to find a creative way to raise awareness of the incredible work of the Intero Foundation and its efforts to bring the community together and help needy children.  I thought that it would be fun to have Sam’s Chowder Mobile and their scrumptious food and invite the community to come and have lunch in the name of the Foundation; then I would donate an amount to the Foundation equal to the food sales brought in that day.  It would have been easy to just write a check, but what I have found is that people love to participate in charitable causes and if they get a little something in return.  And I thought I could make it happen.

So flash forward to April 24th 2013…a brilliantly beautiful spring day…with a banner on the corner advertising the festivities…Canopies, table and chairs in place…Sam’s Chowder Mobile rolled into the parking lot of Intero Saratoga and set up shop.  Within 20 minutes there was already a line.  Intero agents, their families and friends, members of the community and the diehard Chowder Mobile followers stood in line and ordered up, sat down and ate or took it to go.  At the end of the 3 1/2 hours…150 meals and $3,500 worth of food and beverages were purchased.

It does not get any better than this, I thought…how could you consider this anything less than a success?  The Intero Foundation does such amazing things for children in our community. You never know how much it means when people come together to benefit those in need.  Children are the future…we owe them a chance.  And that, I believe, is at the heart of the Intero Foundation.

Don’t worry…if you missed out on the chance to enjoy or want to come back again, Sam’s Chowder Mobile’s yummy food will be back in the Fall of 2013!

Sincerely,

Kim Connor

Kids helping kids….what could be sweeter!