If you only know one thing about Concierge Auctions, it is that Key For Key™ is a core program that we live by. Almost every day in the office, at some point you'll hear "Let's sell some property, and fund some homes!" Key For Key™ is a program started by Laura Brady and Chad Roffers when our company was just beginning. They both felt the need to give back in some way, and make every day in the office meaningful to each person. The program states that with every home we sell, a portion of those proceeds funds the building of a home for a family in need. At the start, we were building in Nicaragua, and now we have grown enough to build in El Salvador, with over 100 homes built.
One of the greatest parts of this program is that everyone at Concierge Auctions has the opportunity to go on these trips and help build the homes with the community. I asked them if they wanted to comment on their trip, for anyone else who may be wanting to go themselves or do something similar.
"I think about El Salvador and the beautiful community of La Aguja often and what it taught me. How family, friends, and community are life’s most precious gifts. How it really doesn’t matter what clothes we wear or what car we drive. None of that matters. I need a daily reminder to not get caught up in all the trivial things that life throws at us - this trip and pictures from it will always be those reminders for me." -Charlotte Muennink
"Life changing, Pure Joy, Heartbreaking. A fantastic experience that helps the poor tremendously as well as places all of our lives into perspective on how fortunate we all are." -Charles Russell
"This trip was by far the single most impactful thing I've ever done. Not only was I able to make a direct impact on the lives of a family in need but to my surprise, I also made a major impact on my own life. I was able to see first hand that I could make a difference and inspire others with my efforts, and to see the community come together to the aide of the other community members was inspirational and reaffirmed the thought that there are good people in the world still in spite of their financial situation. I am now inspired to continue to do more volunteering with my time to make an impact here in the states as well. If anyone is considering participating in Key for Key or a similar endeavor I'd tell them to do it in a heartbeat because they will get just as much if not more from their efforts as the people they are helping. It truly has changed my life and I am so very thankful to work for a company that allows us this type of giving opportunity." -Derek Hawkins
"My trip started off rocky. I had family that were worried about having me fly to a different country with people they didn't know, and honestly, it got to me a little. I look back now on the day before flying when I was thinking, "Maybe they're right. Maybe I shouldn't go," and I think of how much I would've missed. The culture was so different, but really, the people were the same. Even though we spoke different languages, we communicated in the same ways and were able to understand each other. It was incredible to be a part of something so different than my every day life, and I will think of those three days forever. Building a home for them was really only a small way to thank them for opening my eyes, and helping me realilze that getting outside of your comfort zone only helps you grow as a person. "-Emily McMenamin