Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
Barbara Harman
info@cfp-dc.org
202-955-6538 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC; Mar. 31, 2009 — If springtime finds you looking for a new home, and you’re also looking for ways to give back to your new community, call or stop by TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and you’ll get great advice on both. Through a partnership with the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington, TTR Sotheby’s is supporting the country’s most successful philanthropy promotion initiative and helping to shine a light on the best community-based nonprofits in the Washington region.
In the past year, TTR Sotheby’s agents donated approximately $6,000 to support the Catalogue’s mission of connecting effective and trustworthy nonprofits with individuals who want to make a difference in their community. The firm matched each contribution, bringing its total investment to nearly $15,000. In addition, homebuyers visiting a TTR Sotheby's agent not only get home buying guidance and information about schools and shopping in their new neighborhood, they also get a copy of the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Thanks to an interactive web portal developed by the Catalogue for TTR Sotheby’s, agents can also access and share information on nonprofit events, galas, openings, and volunteer opportunities. Several of the firm’s agents also serve on the Catalogue’s 90-member application review committee.
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington (cfp-dc.org) features 350 local, community-based nonprofits in the arts, education, health, human services, justice, and the environment. Each organization is rigorously evaluated and selected for its distinction, cost-effectiveness, and merit, providing potential donors and volunteers with a carefully vetted list of local nonprofits with the most impact. A collaborative venture of the region's leading foundations, corporate giving programs, and individual donors, the Catalogue has helped raise more than $8.5 million for local nonprofits since its inception in 2003.
TTR Sotheby's decided to partner with the Catalogue after a year-long search led by the firm's employee contributions committee. Diana Hart, a committee member and a vice president of the firm, liked the idea of working with the Catalogue because of its focus on smaller community-based organizations that people don’t often hear about. According to Hart, "Community involvement is important to all of us at TTR Sotheby’s. What I also like is the fact that our agents can share information about local philanthropic opportunities with our clients, thereby deepening our community involvement activities by touching people's hearts and minds in a different way."
TTR Sotheby’s agent Jennifer Hammond tells the story of a woman who recently moved from Detroit to the Washington Metro area. At the closing, Hammond gave her a copy of the Catalogue. As the woman paged through it, she burst into tears and hugged Hammond. "This surprised me, to say the least," remarked Hammond. "She told me that, while she was excited about the move, she was also sad about leaving behind her active volunteer life. She was grateful to receive the Catalogue and saw it as a way of getting connected as soon as she moved into her new home and community. I am proud to share the Catalogue and introduce our clients to great nonprofits that are really making a difference."
Michael Rankin, managing partner agrees, "By partnering with the Catalogue, TTR Sotheby’s now has an effective way of helping our community. The Catalogue helps us make wise investments, right in our back yard."
About TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
TTR Sotheby's International Realty is the preeminent luxury real estate company in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. For the last twenty years, TTR Sotheby’s associates have served Washington area homeowners with a passion to be the most knowledgeable real estate professionals and a commitment to exceptional client service. The firm is part of an unrivaled international network of over 10,000 associates in 500 offices in 39 countries worldwide. More information is available at www.ttrsir.com.
About the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington connects effective, trustworthy nonprofits with individuals who want to contribute to, and make a difference in, their community. An independent nonprofit organization, recognized by its annual publication, the Catalogue has helped its featured nonprofits raise more than $2.1 million in the last year, bringing its total amount raised since 2003 to more than $8.5 million. Charities receive 100 percent of each donation thanks to support from local sponsors, including the Harman Family Foundation, Meyer Foundation, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Philip L. Graham Fund, J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Booz Allen Hamilton, CGI, TTR Sotheby's International Realty, and others. For more information, visit cfp-dc.org.