An integral part of our brand identity and culture, NextHome wouldn’t be the same without our beloved mascot Luke. In honor of his birthday, we have declared June 15th our company’s annual day of community service and outreach – Luke Day. We use this day as an opportunity to step away from our business and come together to serve our local areas and the people and pets that thrive there.
Luke Day 2023 was full of amazing events organized by NextHome offices across the nation. Events ranged from volunteering at food banks and supporting local animal shelters to raising donations for our national charity partner, Canine Companions.
Here are just a few examples of how NextHome members rolled up their sleeves to support their neighbors, friends, and communities from coast to coast:
- NextHome Gulf Coast Living in Fairhope, AL joined forces with local organization The Haven to create “Luke Boxes” with food for community members and their pets who are in need.
- NextHome Space Coast Experts in Indian Harbour Beach, FL teamed up with their local SPCA to collect donations to support the animals in the shelter.
- NextHome Cedar Street Realty in Roseville, CA assisted the city with a creek and trail cleanup in new construction communities.
- NextHome Star Realty in Marinette, WI hosted a community carnival with all ticket proceeds benefiting the Menominee Animal Shelter and the Marinette County K9 unit.
- NextHome Treasure Coast in Fort Pierce, FL created a Family Fun Day alongside local vendors to raise funds for Nala’s New Life Rescue and the St. Lucie Humane Society.
- NextHome Prime Real Estate in Mesa, AZ raised funds for the Pet Knot Rescue Center with raffle items, a scavenger hunt, free professional dog photography, and pet adoptions.
- NextHome Simplicity in Long Beach, MS collected donations from local businesses to enter into a raffle with proceeds donated to Canine Companions.
- NextHome Elite Real Estate in Muncie, IN hosted a block party to collect donations for their local Habitat for Humanity.
Based in Pleasanton, CA, members of the NextHome corporate office used Luke Day as an opportunity to support the Alameda County Community Food Bank. The team visited the organization’s Oakland, CA warehouse and packed 1,300 bags of ready-to-eat food intended for unhoused recipients.
In North Carolina, NextHome’s Vice President of Learning and Development Jim Fischetti and his Executive Assistant Joellyn Francis teamed up with NextHome Triangle Properties to assist The Green Chair Project – a nonprofit organization that reuses donated furnishings for people facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis or disaster. They helped process inventory, assemble items, and more. NextHome member Beth Smoot is a co-founder of The Green Chair Project.
Leading up to all these events, members purchased Luke Day t-shirts as a part of NextHome’s national fundraiser for Canine Companions. These shirts resulted in a $4,831 donation to Canine Companions, a nonprofit that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs.
A huge thanks to everyone who made Luke’s birthday one to remember! You already serve the people in your communities by helping them find their next home, thank you for spending Luke Day to further drive the #HumansOverHouses movement forward.