The Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® Joins Habitat for Humanity Hamilton to Rehabilitate Affordable Housing Units
The Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® partnered with Habitat for Humanity Hamilton to make a meaningful impact in their community during their 2025 REALTORS Care® Day. REALTORS® volunteered at a RePair Day project, working with Habitat to rehabilitate two CityHousing Hamilton units to support local families in need of a safe and affordable place to call home.
15 REALTOR® volunteers dedicated a total of 135 hours helping paint, and install new baseboards, trim and flooring These improvements not only enhanced the livability of the homes but also ensured that the properties are ready to provide affordable, rent-geared-to-income housing for families in Hamilton. The REALTORS®’ participation directly supported the efforts of Habitat for Humanity Hamilton and CityHousing Hamilton to enhance affordable housing options for families in need.
“We chose to work with Habitat for Humanity Hamilton for our REALTORS Care® Day because their mission and values line up with ours,” said Julie Sergi, Chair of the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS®. “Both organizations feel deeply that everyone deserves safe, stable housing.”
Through its partnership with CityHousing Hamilton, Habitat Hamilton is helping bring vacant housing units back online by rehabilitating them to make them safe and habitable once again. This collaboration addresses a critical need in Hamilton by providing affordable, rent-geared-to-income housing for families in need. By working together, Habitat Hamilton and CityHousing Hamilton can complete necessary renovations more efficiently and cost-effectively, allowing more families to access secure housing sooner. This partnership reflects Habitat for Humanity Hamilton’s mission to help local families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter, while making a lasting impact on the broader community.
“The City of Hamilton has a waiting list of over 6,000 applications for affordable housing, so it’s really important that we can turn this into a home quickly,” said Sean Ferris, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Hamilton. “We’ll hopefully be taking somebody off the wait list and moving them into this rent-geared-to-income home so it’ll be safe, decent, affordable, and it’ll provide the family with the stability to grow and thrive.”
By contributing their time and skills to help rehabilitate these spaces, the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® played a role in ensuring more families in Hamilton will soon have access to secure, affordable housing. In addition to volunteering, Cornerstone members also raised $7,500 for Habitat for Humanity Hamilton, further strengthening their impact. Together, these efforts demonstrate their dedication to supporting local communities and improving access to safe housing.
“Although we are competitors, today we’re colleagues working together to give back to our community and to give a family some relief,” said Don Mackey a REALTOR® and salesperson with Exit Realty Cambridge.
This REALTORS® Care Day is just one of the ways the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® gives back to their community. Earlier this year, members took part in the Coldest Night of the Year, supported Hockey Helps the Homeless in both Hamilton and Waterloo, raising $17,000 and $10,000 respectively, and contributed $1,000 to food banks in Simcoe County through their All Hands on Deck initiative. They also helped organize an educational program at Eden Food for Change in Mississauga and hosted a charity golf tournament in September that raised $37,000 for Habitat for Humanity Waterloo. Together, these efforts reflect their ongoing commitment to supporting the communities they serve.
