Royal LePage Shelter Foundation Raises $3.3 Million in 2021 in support of women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention programs
$38 Million raised since inception
TORONTO, April 5, 2022 – The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation raised $3.3 Million last year through the contributions of thousands of Royal LePage agents and supporters, making it one of the most significant fundraising results in the nearly 25 year history of the charity. Since inception, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation has raised an incredible $38 Million in support of women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention programs from coast-to-coast. The Foundation remains the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to this cause, just as Royal LePage continues to lead as the only Canadian real estate company with its own branded charity.
“Thousands of the Royal LePage faithful, their families, their clients, and their friends, worked together during this challenging pandemic year to support women and children in desperate need of safe shelter,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. Soper was among the 60 Royal LePagers who participated in the 2021 Challenge for Shelter, held this year over multiple days, climbing British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains. This bi-annual fundraiser has raised $3 Million to date. “Our foundation is the largest of its kind in Canada dedicated to eradicating violence in our communities, and supporting the women and children seeking safe shelter and a life free of abuse. Together with hundreds of local shelter partners, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Women’s Shelters Canada, the Assaulted Women’s Helpline, TD Bank, Sagen and other critically important organizations, we are working to make home a safer place for everyone.”
Violence against women and girls, impacting one in three women worldwide, is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations today. It remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it, says UN Women. Canadians agree the issue is serious. A recent Environics Institute poll[1] discovered a majority (86% women and 80% men) believe violence against women to be the most serious issue affecting women today. In a time of greater isolation, due to COVID, there have been widespread reports of an increase in intimate partner and other forms of violence, as well as unprecedented barriers for those seeking help.[2]
“Royal LePage offices across Canada partner with local women’s shelters to provide much-needed financial and in-kind support. Funds raised by Royal LePage brokerage offices are raised locally and remain in their communities. What makes the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation truly impactful is that Royal LePage pays all administration costs of the Foundation so that 100 per cent of funds raised go directly towards the cause,” said Lisa Gibbs, Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. “The long-standing relationships in the community between Royal LePage brokers and agents and their shelter partners is a bond, built on commitment and passion for living healthy, happy lives free of violence.”
Dec 2020 – Fantastic preserves, yummy chocolates, a warm sweater, what can be better! As part of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation cross Canada gift exchange in support of local women’s shelters and local businesses we each received a gift and made a donation to these important causes.
To: Royal LePage Broker/Owners, Managers, Sales Representatives, and Administrators
From: Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
Date: May 7, 2015
Re: Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s 2014 fundraising results and top donors
It is my pleasure to announce that the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation raised more than $2 million during 2014 in support of 200 women’s shelters and violence prevention programs across the country. Together, we have raised more than $20 million since 1998 to become the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s shelters and putting an end to domestic violence.
It is because of your generosity, enthusiasm and commitment to our cause that we continue to make an important contribution to the safety and well-being of Canadian families. Thank you for your continued support.
With gratitude,
Shanan Spencer-Brown
Executive Director
Dear Joan,
I am thrilled to let you know that in 2013, you were part of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s TOP 10% DONORS! Congratulations and thank you for being part of this special group of donors who are making it a priority to help women and children flee abusive relationships and find a safe haven in their community. Thanks to you and your Royal LePage colleagues, 2013 was our most successful fundraising year ever! Through your generosity, we raised more than $2.1 million through commission donations and an array of fundraising events organized at the local and national level including the National Garage Sale for Shelter and the “100 Days for Shelter” campaign in honour of Royal LePage’s 100th anniversary.
You are giving abused women and their children hope for a better future by helping them rebuild their lives today. Thank you for your generous support and for being such an important part of our efforts to put an end to family violence in Canada.
With gratitude,
Shanan
Shanan Spencer-Brown, MSW, CFRE
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
December 2013 – Supporting Our Community
The Joan Smith Real Estate Family presenting a cheque
to Delores for the Chrysalis House, the women’s shelter in Kanata.
Dear Joan,
I am thrilled to let you know that in 2012, you were part of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s TOP 10% DONORS! Congratulations and thank you for being part of this extraordinary group of champions who are helping to provide a safe haven for abused women and their children across Canada.
2012 was our most successful fundraising year ever, thanks to you and your colleagues across the country. Through your generosity, we raised $2.07 million, engaging more commission donors and raising more funds at the National Garage Sale for Shelter and at other local fundraising events organized by Royal LePagers. This allowed us to help more women and children than ever before.
You are helping women and children in your community rebuild their lives after violence. We are extremely grateful to you for all you do on behalf of the Shelter Foundation and for being such an important part of our movement to end family violence in Canada. I can’t thank you enough for your generous continued support!
With gratitude,
Shanan
Shanan Spencer-Brown, MSW, CFRE
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
November 2012 – Supporting Our Community
The Joan Smith Real Estate Family presenting a cheque
to Angelique for the Chrysalis House, the women’s shelter in Kanata.
Dear Joan,
I’m so excited to congratulate you on being a TOP 10% DONOR in 2011! You helped us raise more money than ever before and gave women and children in your community a safe place to go to escape the violence in their lives. Through your generosity, we raised an incredible $2 million, increased the number of commission donors and shelter partners, set new records at the National Garage Sale for Shelter, and raised awareness of family violence. Thank you for your incredible commitment to helping “put abuse out of commission”!
Thank you for providing a safe haven and new beginnings for women and children in your community. We are extremely grateful for all you do on behalf of the Shelter Foundation and for being such an important part of our movement to end family violence in Canada.
With gratitude,
Shanan
Shanan Spencer-Brown, MSW, CFRE
Executive Director
December 2011 – Supporting Our Community
Mrs. Joan Smith presenting a cheque to Angelique for the
Chrysalis House, the women’s shelter in Kanata.
September, 2011
REM
Independent news & opinion for Canada’s real estate industry
Issue #267, Page 28
Royal LePage Foundation Makes a Difference
Helping those who need a safe and peaceful place to live without violence
By Connie Adair
Real estate sales reps help people find their dream homes every day, but what about those whose only dream is to have a safe and peaceful place to live without violence? The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation helps them too. Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated to supporting shelters and stopping the cycle of family violence raised a record-breaking $1.8-million in 2010.
Royal LePage underwrites the administrative costs, which means 100 per cent of the funds raised go to the more than 200 Canadian shelters the foundation supports, says Shanan Spencer-Brown, who joined the shelter foundation as executive director in mid-January 2011. The Toronto-based foundation has three full-time staff and three staff shared with Royal LePage.
The foundation was established in 1999 after agents and brokers were surveyed about what they thought were the key issues and how they could make the greatest impact, Spencer-Brown says. “That there are people (for whom) home is not a safe place touched the Realtors.”
In Canada, half of all women will experience abuse during their lifetime and every year 360,000 children are exposed to their mother being abused, a company news release says. Forming a charitable foundation was seen as the best way to focus efforts and as a way to make the most meaningful contribution, Spencer-Brown says.
“The charitable foundation was also a way of demonstrating trust and accountability to donors, to show donors their contributions are being used in the best way possible and that we’re taking a long-term view to making a difference.”
The 13-year-old foundation helps more than 30,000 women and children each year with funds raised through agent commission contributions and other fund-raising activities. It has raised $120million since 1999.
Funds raised in a community stay in that community, while national fund-raising projects, such as the National Garage Sale for Shelter, support long0term violence prevention and education programs. The one-day charity garage sale, hosted by more than 120 Royal LePage offices across the country, raised $120,000 in its first year, $315,000 in its second year and $420,000 this year.
Nationally, the foundation has partnered with the Canadian Women’s Foundation, taking a long-term view to preventing family violence by funding violence prevention work. Also on a national level, the foundation has partnered with Fourth R, a curriculum-based education program now offered in more than 1,000 Canadian classrooms. It teaches violence prevention to 50,000 grade 8 and 9 students each year.
The foundation offers support to offices by providing an online fund-raising page, pledge forms and other materials to make agents’ and brokers’ fund-raising efforts more successful.
Donors are recognized through the Shelter Awards and provided with logos they can use on their marketing materials to show they support their community.
Another unique feature of the company’s culture is that every nation and and regional even, such as training programs, has a shelter component, such as a silent auction, to raise funds.
Dear Joan,
We were generously supported by many donors like you in 2010. Thank you for your incredible commitment to helping “put abuse out of commission” in your community and
CONGRATULATIONS on being recognized as a Top 10% Donor!
As you know, 2010 was the Shelter Foundation’s most successful year ever, thanks to you and your colleagues across the country. Through your generosity, we raised $1.8 million, increased the number of commission donors, set new records for our fundraising events, like the National Garage Sale for Shelter, and helped more women and children than ever before!
We are extremely grateful that you are such an important part of the Shelter Foundation family. You have helped us restore hope and provide a safe haven for more than 30,000 women and children each year. In addition, Shelter Foundation supporters like you are working to ensure the next generation won’t experience the devastation of family violence.
Many thanks,
Shanan
Shanan Spencer-Brown, MSW, CFRE
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
March 9, 2011
We are thrilled to announce that the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation raised $1.8 million in 2010!
It is because of your hard work, commitment, creativity, and passion that we achieved another record-breaking year.
Thanks go out to…
– Our supporters who have tirelessly organized garage sales, golf tournaments, silent auctions and raffles. And, those who’ve run and cycled miles, climbed mountains and even jumped out of planes.
– Our donors and sponsors whose financial support has made a tangible difference.
– Everyone who purchased Shelter Blooms and those who dreamed up other unique ways to raise funds and awareness.
– Our commission donors – the lifeblood of the Foundation – whose unwavering support and generosity is incredible!
We are so excited to share such positive news and are extremely thankful – we couldn’t do this without all of you!
We look forward to another great fundraising year in 2011!
Many thanks,
Shanan Spencer-Brown
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
Hi Joan
I hope this email finds you well.
Today is my favourite day of the year as we are announcing the top Royal LePage Shelter Foundation donors from 2009.
Last year was our best year ever for the Shelter Foundation thanks to you and your colleagues from coast to coast. Because of your generous support, we raised $1.5 million, increased the number of commission donors by 24%, set new significant records for our fundraising events and helped thousands of more women and children than ever before!
I am very happy let you know that you were a TOP 10% DONOR in 2009! This group of Top 10% donors is made up of just 97 special individuals who were leadership supporters of the Shelter Foundation. Congratulations on being recognized in this extraordinary group and thank you for your generous commitment to our work to help “put abuse out of commission” for families in your community.
We are so very grateful that you are such an important part of the Shelter Foundation family and we really appreciate your leadership support of our cause. You have helped us restore hope and provide a safe haven for more than 30,000 women and children. In my books that makes you a hero J
Thanks again Joan and all the best,
Sandra
Sandra Diaz
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
Hi Joan
I write you today because, hot off the presses, we are officially announcing our top donors from 2008. It was a banner year for the Shelter Foundation and because of you we raised a record-breaking $1.4 million to help women and children across Canada!
I am thrilled to share with you that you were in the top 10% of Shelter Foundation contributors in 2008. This group is made up of just 74 special individuals who contributed the most commission donations to support our work to end family violence.
I have attached your special Top 10% donor logo that you can use on your marketing materials. This year we also launched some new sign riders for the different donor levels and you can find them on RLPNetwork for the Top 10% level.
Our top donors be recognized in the next issue of Leading Edge Online and listed on the RLPNetwork by next week. Later in the spring, the royallepage.ca site will be redesigned and I intend to prominently recognize our top donors on that consumer facing site too.
Congratulations on this distinction and thank you so very much for your ongoing generous support and commitment to the Shelter Foundation. We couldn’t be more appreciative of the leadership you’ve shown for your charitable giving and we thank you on behalf of the 30,000 women and children helped last year.
Thanks again and all the best,
Sandra J
Sandra Diaz
Executive Director
Royal LePage Shelter Foundation
Original Kanata resident and top-selling agent Joan Smith, along with husband Stewart Smith and their son in-law, Luc St-Hilaire, both licensed sales representatives.
Joan Smith’s real estate family is very proud to participate in sponsoring the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.
Royal LePage REALTORS® help Canadians find their dream home or make the right decision about real estate investments. And for those who do not have a safe and peaceful home, Royal LePage is also there, lending a helping hand in neighbourhoods where we live and work. Locally there are 7 shelters in Ottawa.
We’re doing our part to put domestic abuse out of commission.
Royal LePage REALTORS®’s goal in May is to raise $95,000.
Also proud to participate in sponsoring The Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF). The CWF is Canada’s only national public foundation dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls through economic and social change. The foundation raises funds and makes grants to charitable projects