A look back on MCKRE Gives
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Desmond Tutu
One of the most wonderful benefits of being a part of MCKRE is the joy we have in sharing so many things. First and foremost, we are joined by a love of what we do and where we live. We share a collective determination in our work, and we are also bonded in our common experiences as women. We share laughs together and we share hardships, too. What we also share are core values and a common goal.
One of the things that happened throughout the course of taking both professional and personal inventory this year was we asked ourselves, “What matters to us most?” The answer came easily: our community and the ties and connection among all the people who live in this place we call home. Within this fellowship we have a mutual purpose of love; to treat all with respect, dignity and generosity, with the hope of providing relief when and where it’s needed. We aspire to make a contribution that resonates within our team and carries onward honoring both our clients and those around us. Because of this, we made a choice and a plan — to consistently donate to charities that touch the hearts of our team members, our families, our clients and most importantly… our community. The MCKRE Gives initiative was born.
We incorporated a plan of giving into the daily operations of MCKRE. Each time we help a family buy or sell their home, we automatically donate $100 in their name to the MCKRE Gives fund. What started as a small seed and a hope to help others has blossomed into so much more. MCKRE Gives is our cornerstone for compassion and community outreach. We recognize the power in a simple act of kindness, that it has the strength to wipe out woes and nurture hurt by combating animosity and judgment. A helping hand can ease suffering and even change lives.
It is fitting that the launch of MCKRE Gives was in 2020, a year of the new, the novel, and the strange. It was a tumultuous time, and one of challenges and adversity for many. Our first donation was in April, focusing on Martha’s Mission and Food for Friends, when COVID hit hard and we chose to put food on folks’ tables. The following month, in May, our spotlight was on graduates. Mary Cheatham wanted to celebrate all of our local kids who would be finishing high school during an unconventional time. The launch of the Silver Linings Scholarship began with a $3,000 prize, divided among three deserving local high school seniors, which was a thrill to provide. In June and July, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain, including 6 local families, were given individual gift cards totaling $4,000 for back-to-school items and the Youth Passing League was able to buy new jerseys, thanks to our clients.
August was a fun one for our team! We joined forces and paintbrushes with the volunteers of Crystal Coast Habitat for Humanity and headed over to help future Habitat homeowner Chevonne Reels paint her sweet new home in Newport. As well, we rallied our clients and friends to help take this project even further. We called on our community to donate to the Reels’ family project to match the $3,700 that we were donating through the MCKRE Gives initiative. In only 12 hours, we were able to hand over $8,000 to finish construction and furnish the Reels home. What a collaborative and incredible feat thanks to all!
In September, we teamed up with Sandy Hewitt of Morehead City’s Family Promise. Not only had this organization itself been adversely affected by the pandemic, but a family of ten had been, too, and was living within the Family Promise offices. MCKRE Gives donated $3,200 to help offset expenses and lend support. In October, we were able to write a check for $2,700 to Carteret Long Term Recovery Alliance to put funds toward an elevator for a local woman’s home, and deliver to her front porch a full Thanksgiving dinner from Friendly Market. We also made a donation to serve lunch to the much-deserving teachers at West Carteret High School.
In November and December we were able to spend over $4,000 on 7 local families in partnership, once again, with the Boys and Girls Club! The holidays can be particularly burdensome for so many, but because of our clients and our friends, we were able to impact the lives of those around us by shining a little light and providing a little leg up!
Since the inception of MCKRE Gives in April, we have distributed a total of $22,650 into this community we cherish. Our heartfelt desire is to continuously, positively affect this area and those around us — it is a mission that is vital to our collective purpose. We, at MCKRE, feel we must be a force for good and work toward a cause that will shape lives. As we forge ahead into 2021, we acknowledge how grateful we are that each one of our clients, our friends and our family are a part of our goal of nurturing our beloved Crystal Coast and we cannot wait to see what magic we will all make happen next!
“Our destiny is not written for us, it’s written by us.” Barack Obama.
To see more on MCKRE Gives, click HERE.
