Donation to Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal

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Harcourts Foundation’s first donation goes to Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal

2 March 2009 - The recently established Harcourts Foundation has made its very first donation, giving more than $50,000 to the Red Cross Victorian Bush Fire Appeal Fund

A cheque for $51,452.25 was presented to the Executive Director of the Australian Red Cross QLD, Greg Goebel, at Harcourts International’s Business Leaders Conference held in the Gold Coast from 16 – 18 February.

The Harcourts Foundation was set up in New Zealand and Australia in August last year with the aim of providing financial support that helps, grows and enriches local communities. In just seven months the registered charity has already received over $170,000 in donations from Harcourts’ people and their fundraising efforts, and two weeks ago started accepting applications for grants from community groups.

Harcourts International’s Managing Director Mike Green says the identification of an over-riding need of financial support for those affected by the bush fire tragedy in Victoria, Australia prompted the Harcourts Foundation’s first donation.

“The lives and livelihoods of literally thousands in Victoria have been devastated, and the shock and sorrow has been felt throughout Australia and also in New Zealand,” he says. “There is certainly no worthier cause right now for The Harcourts Foundation’s first donation than the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal Fund which the Harcourts team is pleased to be able to support.”

Mr Green says that with donations for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal still coming in to the Harcourts Foundation from across Australia and New Zealand a second donation to the Red Cross is planned for the end of the month.

“Having made our first significant donation, I’m confident that The Harcourts Foundation is going to continue to grow, make further much-needed donations to local causes and become a fundamental and significant part of what the name ‘Harcourts’ stands for, creating a very special legacy.”

As he explains, 100% of the money raised for The Harcourts Foundation will be donated to the community, as Harcourts International Ltd is funding all of the Foundation’s running costs.

Harcourts, established in Wellington in 1888, is New Zealand’s largest real estate group and the fastest growing in Australasia. Currently it has more than 600 offices and 4000 property professionals throughout New Zealand, Australia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

Editor’s Note: To view footage of Harcourts International’s Managing Director Mike Green presenting of the cheque to the Red Cross and a speech from Executive Director of the Australian Red Cross QLD, Greg Goebel visit www.youtube.com/teamharcourts.

ENDS

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