Feiner Real Estate, a company based on Martha’s Vineyard that specializes in vacation rentals and real estate sales, officially surpassed $500,000 in donations to Island nonprofits.
Ten years ago, principal broker Jim Feiner created the Client’s Choice Program as an “experiment” that allows buyers and sellers to choose to direct 10 percent of the real estate company’s commissions to an Island nonprofit of their choice for free.
In a press release about the milestone, the company said that the program has benefited more than 30 nonprofits that support housing, healthcare, conservation, education, food insecurity, and community services since 2016. The donations “create a network of individuals who are directly investing in the well-being of Martha’s Vineyard,” the release stated.
“As a business, we believe that real estate has a significant role in the community,” Feiner said in the release. “Reaching $500,000 in donations is a reflection of our clients’ desire to make a difference when they buy or sell one of their biggest assets. The marriage of our generosity and their commitment to this community makes this possible, and it’s something we’re incredibly proud to be part of.”
The company decided to expand this model nationally through its sister company, Refer2Give, a real estate referral platform that connects buyers and sellers to real estate agents who donate a large portion of commissions to a nonprofit.
“This started as a local initiative, but the program works flawlessly everywhere,” Feiner
said. “People want to make a difference, and we created Refer2Give as a way for them to be impactful with our commission, literally for free, no matter where they are.”
Thank you, Jim, for serving the island community in such an exceptional way. I was director at the Chilmark Library when we received a substantial donation that helped us provide more adult and youth programming. It made a difference.
Wow, making a difference!