Press

In 2025, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded more than $36,000 in grants and donations to a dozen charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2025 charitable giving.

In 2024, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded $27,000 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2024 charitable giving.

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the San Mateo County REALTORS® Foundation hosted a Casino Night fundraiser event at Par 3 at Poplar Creek in San Mateo, bringing together SAMCAR members, staff, and friends for food and drink, games, prizes, and a live auction, raising over $4,000 to benefit housing-related charities in San Mateo County.

In 2023, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded $51,700 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2023 charitable giving.

On Wednesday October 18, 2023, the San Mateo County REALTORS® Foundation hosted Cheers for Charity, a fundraiser event at Devil's Canyon Brewing Company in San Carlos, bringing together around 100 SAMCAR members, staff, and friends for food and drink, live music from the AS IS BAND, a trivia contest and generally fun evening that raised $9,200 to benefit housing-related charities in San Mateo County.

In 2022, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded $54,000 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2022 charitable giving.

In 2021, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded $46,800 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County thanks in large part to the generous support of SAMCAR members and sponsors. Read more for a detailed report of 2021 charitable giving.

Thanks to the generous support of SAMCAR members, sponsors and community, our 2021 #SAMCARGivesBack fundraising campaign has raised $41,000, far exceeding our initial fundraising goal. Supported by unique fundraising events including "Thursday Night Live," this year's fundraising campaign drove community involvement and generous giving, which allowed Foundation Trustees to approve quarterly grants to numerous housing-related charities throughout the year. Read more for an overview of what the SAMCAR Foundation has been able to accomplish with your support.

In case you missed it, you can now view a recording of SAMCAR's first-ever virtual variety show "Thursday Night Live" (originally aired on Zoom on May 20, 2021) on YouTube! Hosted by Jessica Eva and featuring performances by (in order of appearance) Erik Winkler, Ann Palermo, Vivienne Kelvin, Mark Martinho, Alfredo Mendoza, Michelle Velez, Anne Rodrigues Toth, Toni Burrows, Marlin Handley, Gregory Strang & Suzanne Sims, Alan Kirth, Kathy Wall, Anna May, and Gary Pellegrini with special appearances by Jesse Gutierrez and Gina Zari, and produced by High Dive Studio, watch entertaining musical and comedic performances in support of the SAMCAR Foundation's #SAMCARGivesBack 2021 charitable fundraising campaign.

In 2020, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded more than $80,000 in grants and donations to numerous charities in San Mateo County, including a wildfire relief fundraising effort led by Half Moon Bay REALTORS®, several member-directed pass-through donations, and a special donation to the San Bruno Community Foundation Crestmoor Neighborhood Scholarship. Read more for a detailed report of 2020 charitable giving.

You did it! Thanks to the generous support of SAMCAR members, sponsors and community, our #SAMCARGivesBack fundraising campaign has exceeded its fundraising goal and has been able to fund quarterly grants to housing-related charities as well as a special fire relief effort and much more. Read more for an overview of what the SAMCAR Foundation has been able to accomplish with your support.

In response to August wildfire evacuations in San Mateo County's coastal communities, the Tuesday marketing meeting group of Half Moon Bay REALTORS® quickly mobilized to raise funds for Puente de la Costa Sur to provide relief—raising $13,000 in just over a week and half. Read more for a special thanks to donors and to learn more about this rapid, member-led effort.

In 2019, the SAMCAR Foundation awarded over $62,000 to numerous housing-related charities in San Mateo County and grants to first time buyers working with the HEART program. The primary funding sources for SAMCAR Foundation grants are voluntary contributions made by SAMCAR members with dues payments and fundraising from annual events.

HEART of San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS®—through a $50,000 grant from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Housing Affordability Fund—are expanding HEART's First Time Homebuyer Program to include closing costs assistance, offering up to $5,000 in closing costs assistance for first time homebuyers in San Mateo County.

The SAMCAR Foundation's June 2016 grant of $10,000 to HEART of San Mateo County is helping provide assistance to first-time homebuyers in our community.

Do you know about the great work that SAMCAR Foundation grant recipients do in San Mateo County? Mission Hospice & Home Care is using Foundation grant funds to purchase an exceptional 12-bed residential care home in the heart of San Mateo.

REALTOR® members and organizations like SAMCAR work hard to help home buyers and sellers, and protect property owners by providing valuable resources, legislative advocacy, giving back to our communities and holding our members to the highest ethical standards. Learn more about how REALTORS® are working for YOU!

On September 2 at the Combined Tour Meeting SAMCAR members heard from Assemblyman Rich Gordon on the 2013-2014 legislative session, and from grant recipient organizations supported by the SAMCAR Foundation's quarterly grant program.