BETTENDORF, IOWA (July 17, 2020) — The Quad City Area REALTORS® today announced it will leverage a grant it received from the National Association of Realtors to help revitalize and repair damages in Rock Island in the wake of recent racial-injustice demonstrations. Circumstances surrounding the death of George Floyd — an unarmed black man, killed in police custody — sparked nationwide protests and demonstrations in all 50 states and around the world.
As a number of neighborhoods and businesses suffered damage and vandalism outside of the peaceful protests, the Quad City Area REALTORS® has partnered with the Rock Island Parks and Recreation to implement NAR's Community Rebuilding Grant to help revive and renew these areas.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the Floyd family in this tragic time," said NAR President Vince Malta, broker at Malta and Co Inc, in San Francisco, California. "NAR is committed to fighting racial injustices and championing policies that build safe and inclusive communities."
The Quad City Area REALTORS® echoes Malta's sentiments and has a proven track record of working in support of fair housing, equality, and inclusion initiatives.
Sharon Smith, CEO of the Quad City Area REALTORS®, notes that this grant will serve as a much-needed first-step toward being a catalyst for leveraging community resources to help regenerate and repair the damage in Rock Island. "We are more than ready to be part of the overall solution and the Community Rebuilding Grant is a great first step," said President Chris Holvoet of the Quad City Area REALTORS®.
Among other measures, the grant will help Rock Island begin rebuilding and restoring the shelter at the Martin Luther King Junior Park in Rock Island. Funding will come via NAR's Urban Initiative, part of the Community Outreach Program, which includes funding to assist urban areas in addressing challenges in their communities, along with additional funds needed given directly from the Quad City Area REALTORS® members.
Nationwide, NAR is offering the Community Rebuilding Grant to state and local REALTOR® Associations around the country to be used to restore and repair public spaces such as parks, plazas, and gardens or remove graffiti. Recipients may use the funds for gloves, masks, cleaners, paint, sponges, paint brushes, building supplies, tools, day-of-clean-up meals, and other clean-up and repair items.
Just another way that "REALTORS® give back to the community!", said CEO Smith.
The National Association of Realtors" is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real-estate industries.
