SMC Members Adopt Nineteen Families for Christmas

     Since 2003 members of the Sales and Marketing Council (SMC), a council of the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBA), have donated gifts and money for the families of St. Lawrence Place.  Council members, comprised of local real estate companies, marketing firms and home builders, have adopted 19 families this holiday season.

Top row (left to right): Lauren Sawyer, Kristy Barnes, Michelle Rabun; Bottom row (left to right): Renee Culler, Heather McDonald, Donna Yount, Ashley Dooley and Beth Gardner.

The 19 families supplied Wish Lists to help with the shopping.  The gifts were collected at the HBA office and delivered to St. Lawrence Place on Thursday, December 18.

St. Lawrence Place, a program of the Trinity Housing Corporation, provides thirty units of transitional housing for homeless families in Columbia.  The purpose of the transitional housing program is to provide a “breathing space” for families between emergency shelter and permanent housing.  During this period, they can regain stability, obtain employment or additional training, and develop life skills, which begin the long process back to independence.

Special thanks to the members and member companies who volunteered to help with this event:

Century 21 Bob Capes Realtors; Ashley Dooley & Family; D.R. Horton Inc.; Essex Homes S.E.; Beth Gardner & Family; Harvey, Casterline & Vallini, LLP; McGuinn Group; Midland Mortgage Corp.; Mungo Homes; Realty & Marketing Services; SCE&G Gas Sales; The State newspaper and the Home Builders Association staff.

The Sales & Marketing Council of Columbia consists of home builders, land developers, realtors and marketing professionals.  The council strives to educate its members to the practices of sales and marketing of new homes by providing education programs and a forum for home builders and new home sales agents to network.  In addition to this latest effort by the council, members have also renovated seven units of St. Lawrence Place last year, collected and donated school supplies to the children living at the facility and donated money to the group for the general operating budget.

Thanks to all of the SMC Members who participated in the Back-to-School Supply Drive this August!  This was another very successful year and all of the school children at St. Lawrence Place are well-prepared for school thanks to your generosity!