Niagara Association of REALTORS® Helps Create Safe, Welcoming Spaces for People Experiencing Homelessness
A safe and welcoming environment can make a meaningful difference for people navigating homelessness. Building on their 2025 REALTORS Care® Day with the same organization, the Niagara Association of REALTORS®’s returned to the YWCA Niagara Region for their 2026 event, with 11 REALTOR® volunteers coming together to support the organization and the women, families and other people accessing its shelter and support services.
REALTOR® volunteers were hands-on throughout the day collecting garbage from around the grounds, trimming bushes, refreshing garden beds with new mulch and helping improve the organization’s outdoor space at their shelter in Niagara Falls. Volunteers also took time to write cards and messages of encouragement for adults and children accessing YWCA Niagara Region’s programs, offering a small but meaningful reminder of the community support surrounding them as they navigate challenging circumstances.
“We are so grateful to all the volunteers who came out to show their support for the YWCA,” said Bianca Cashin, Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator at YWCA Niagara Region. “All of the hard work and effort put into making our space more welcoming for our clients and staff does not go unnoticed.”
For people experiencing homelessness, having access to a safe and welcoming environment can be an important first step toward greater stability. Through their volunteer efforts, Niagara Association of REALTORS® members helped care for the spaces and people at the heart of the YWCA Niagara Region’s work.
The YWCA Niagara Region operates emergency homeless shelters in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, as well as emergency housing for families. Its transitional housing programs provide individuals and families with safe, subsidized housing alongside support such as goal setting, skills development, advocacy, and referrals to community resources as they work toward greater independence and long-term housing stability. The YWCA’s work is rooted in addressing the underlying inequities that contribute to poverty, homelessness and other barriers to stability, with a vision of creating, “an equitable society where women and families thrive.”
The need for these services is significant. In 2023–2024, hundreds of people found refuge through the YWCA Niagara Region’s emergency homeless shelters, while 28 families found a place to call home through its off-site transitional housing program. The organization also supported dozens of individuals through its transitional housing programs as they worked toward long-term housing stability.
Their REALTORS Care® Day was just one part of a week full of community impact for the Niagara Association of REALTORS®. Other activities included an Allied Agency Training session with Gillian’s Place, participation in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Motorcycle Ride for Charity, a REALTORS® Challenge Day featuring activities to raise funds for Gillian’s Place, and an online silent auction featuring donations from local businesses and community partners.
Through their REALTORS Care® Day and beyond, REALTORS® in Niagara put their commitment to community into action. In 2025, the Niagara Association of REALTORS® supported 13 local charities, providing a combined $41,410 in donations to organizations across the Niagara region. These organizations support individuals and families facing a range of challenges, while working to create a stronger, healthier and more inclusive place to live. Through their financial support and ongoing engagement with local charitable organizations, REALTORS® in Niagara continue to make a meaningful difference in the communities they call home.
