For the second year, the Women United group of Routt County United Way is hosting its school supply drive, and in 2017, the effort is receiving a significant boost from Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty, which is donating the majority of the supplies for the event with donations coming from the company as well as each of its brokers to support families in need across Northwest Colorado.

Sotheby’s reports it was able to fulfill every single item on the school supplies drive wish list, totaling over 500 items. The school supplies will be stuffed into backpacks and distributed to low-income families in the Routt County area so that children will be fully prepared with all of the essentials needed to start the school year.

And the real estate brokers at Sotheby’s will also contribute their labor to the cause.

“This year, we had more families who requested help with providing back-to-school supplies for their children than ever before,” Routt County United Way Executive Director Kate Nowak said. “Honestly, we were a little nervous about whether or not we were going to be able to fulfill all of the need. Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty’s donation of literally hundreds and hundreds of supplies for these families allowed us to accomplish our goal of meeting the needs of these families in our community, and we couldn’t be more grateful.” 

The school supplies drive is the latest endeavor in Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty’s community advocacy program, through which the local company identifies needs within the community and pools its resources to make a difference for people who need help, particularly children and families.

In this vein, SSIR also recently announced the formation of the Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty Community Fund, in partnership with the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. The fund was established in order to support area nonprofits through a collective funding and semi-annual granting process.

Applications are currently being accepted for funding consideration for the Fall 2017 grant cycle. For more information and a link to the online application, visit the SSIR Community Fund page at steamboatsir.com.