Charities hold a special place in the hearts of The Erin Krueger Team members. These real estate professionals serve the community by donating funds to various philanthropic organizations on a quarterly basis.
"Giving back is one of the most important things we do as a company," says Realtor Erin Krueger, team leader. "With success comes the responsibility to help those in need, and we're proud to be able to contribute to organizations that put people, animals and communities in better circumstances."
Erin grew up on a Pennsylvanian farm. Her philanthropic journey began early in her career, after the passing of her parents, when she started a scholarship in their honor. "For the past 20 years, the scholarship helped financially support kids who also come from farming families so they can further their college education, no matter the field of expertise," she adds.
One annual event EKT participates in is Operation Christmas. "Operation Christmas was started by one of our dear clients who tragically lost her husband to cancer during the holiday season. He was receiving treatment at Vanderbilt Medical Center, and in his memory, she felt compelled to bring joy to those who're spending Christmas in the hospital. To accomplish this, donations and materials for countless patients are collected and delivered to them with a simple reminder that they're loved," Erin says. "You can make an impact in so many ways, but being able to connect with the person on the other end is so rewarding for our team.”
The annual Stand Up to Cancer Day -- which is observed every second Friday of September -- also is extremely personal to this group because one of the EKT members, Erika Rich, has been battling HER2+ Stage IV breast cancer for the past 2.5 years. She was only 25 years old when it was diagnosed. Erika founded a nonprofit organization called The Bloom Foundation Gives. Its mission is to raise awareness and funds, along with providing resources for breast cancer patients and survivors.
Erika says she launched her organization with the hope of bringing light to these specific dark times for women, and to make their treatment and recovery period from breast cancer happier memories.
In the face of chaos and fear, the three values of Erika's foundation are quality of life, wellness and fun. Erika and the foundation's board members provide yoga and meditation tips/training; cancer care packages with Erika’s must-have chemo items; a merchandise line; cancer-related fundraisers and a public awareness campaign regarding the mental health and wellness side of a cancer diagnosis, especially for metastatic patients.
Examples of other local groups that EKT supports include:
- Big Fluffy Dog
- Special Olympics Tennessee
- American Red Cross
- Gilda's Club Middle Tennessee
- The Atlantic National
- Safe Haven Family Shelter
- Wounded Warrior Project
- No Kid Hungry
- Homes For Homes
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Middle Tennessee
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Operation Hospital Blessing
- Habitat For Humanity
"We're so grateful our business has been as successful as it is. When you’re in a position where you have the means to give back, you should," attests Maddy Smakulski, EKT marketing coordinator.
Throughout the years, EKT staffers have donated $150,000-plus to different charities.
This EKT group prides themselves on providing the highest levels of service, whether that be in supporting nonprofits or real estate clients. Erin and her team currently was ranked No. 1 in Tennessee and No. 3 in the nation in 2020 for most homes sold and sales volume by Real Trends and featured in the Wall Street Journal.
erin@erinkrueger.com
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“This year has been unpredictable and an undeniable challenge, but I’m grateful for our clients who trust us to help them navigate such an important decision, and who enable us to give back to the community the way that we do.” ~Erin Krueger