Local Board of Realtors Using $5,000 Grant to Help Clean Up Three Counties

The Georgia Upstate Lakes Board of Realtors is planning a clean-up day across three counties in April thanks to a grant they recently received.

According to spokesperson Natalie Floyd, the group has been awarded a $5000 Sustainability Grant from the National Association of Realtors® to support activities that promote sustainability and resiliency.

Floyd said the grant will be used to support an organized tri-county environmental cleanup effort within the 3 counties in which they serve, Franklin, Hart, and Stephens counties.

According to Floyd, Realtor members are planning to collaborate with county officials and community members to host a trash pickup day in those three counties.

“We’re currently planning with our respective communities. Right now we’re working on getting on our commissioners’ agendas to get the approval for this,” she said.

Floyd said members of the Realtors Board plan to hold their clean-up day event on Friday, April 14, 10 AM-2 PM in designated areas of Franklin, Hart, and Stephens counties as part of the Great Global Cleanup project in support of Earth Day 2023.

Floyd added they hope the use of the grant money will help raise awareness of the value of protecting our environment and how that impacts communities.

“I think our main goal is that we want to be involved in our communities,” she explained. “And that’s a large part of what the Board of Realtors does. We want to get out there and let people know that we do care about our respective communities where we sell homes.”

The National Association of Realtors offered the Sustainability Grant to state and local associations nationwide.

This year was the first year for the Sustainability Grant, and a total of 21 associations were selected by the NAR member-led team of evaluators to receive up to $5,000 for their sustainability-focused projects.

Floyd said the Georgia Upstate Lakes Board of Realtors hopes to participate in an annual clean-up day in all three counties every year going forward.

The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate Industries.