NEFAR REALTOR recognized with national volunteering award 

For Immediate Release  

NEFAR REALTOR recognized with national volunteering award 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., January 18, 2024 – NEFAR member Pamela Graves of Summer House Realty in Fernandina Beach has been named as one of five recipients of the National Association of REALTORS® 15^th annual Volunteering Works award. 

The Volunteering Works program, which NAR and its Good Neighbor Society sponsor, matches real estate agents who work on small-scale charitable efforts with mentors who can help them improve and expand their impact. 

Each of the five Volunteering Works recipients will receive a $1,000 seed grant and a year of one-on-one mentoring from a member of the Good Neighbor Society. This group is made up of past recipients of NAR’s annual Good Neighbor Awards, the highest honor the association awards to members involved in community service. 

“These Volunteering Works recipients are shining examples of the positive impact that real estate professionals make in their communities,” said NAR President Kevin Sears. “Their dedication, compassion and tireless efforts enhance the lives of those they serve and set a standard for community engagement. They will not only grow their initiatives but inspire others to take meaningful action.”  

Graves began her charitable work in Uganda when she met Mary Apio – a former child bride turned self-made chef – while on a mission trip.  It was the women’s interest in food that connected them. In 2021, Graves and Apio built Sonrisa School of Culinary Arts & Bakery, a cooking school to help other survivors of assault and forced child marriage create a new life.   

“After Mary told me her story, and we figured out we had cooking in common, I realized that this is where the lasting change comes in,” Graves said. In 2022, Sonrisa Culinary School of the Arts and Bakery graduated 22 students.  

“We are inspired and proud of Pamela Graves for her work effecting positive change in a part of the world where victimized women can now learn a skill and begin a new life,” said 2024 NEFAR President Rory Dubin. “She brings new meaning to the REALTOR® slogan That’s Who We R.” 

Graves’ mentor in the Volunteering Works program will be Dawn Rucinski, a 2021 Good Neighbor Award finalist. 

“I’m so excited and very grateful to have been chosen for this award for the work being done in Uganda for women and young girls,” said Graves. “I am looking forward to having a mentor like Dawn who can provide a roadmap as to how to achieve certain goals and look for other ways to spread the word about Sonrisa.” 

Also winning the Volunteering Works award were: Arlin Fisher of Horace, North Dakota; Kyle Olson of Fargo, North Dakota; Glenda Pollard of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Daphne Thomas of Tampa, Florida. 

Graves is not the only NEFAR member to win this award. In 2021, Gloria Vinson of Landco Properties was one of five recipients to win the Volunteering Works grants and mentoring award for her supportive work with the Vinson Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit that works with loved ones after a family member commits suicide. 

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The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR,) serves as the voice of real estate in Northeast Florida. It is the region’s largest professional association, representing more than 12,000 members who work in all facets of the real estate industry including residential and commercial sales and property management. It serves the public through support of community affairs programs and seeks to protect private property rights. The region’s multiple listing service, realMLS, is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEFAR. NEFAR is headquartered in Jacksonville, with satellite Service Centers in Orange Park, Jacksonville Beach, and Palatka.