Week of Giving

With Thanksgiving week upon us, we are celebrating our agents who give back in meaningful ways to make a positive impact. We are proud to have a team of individuals who are committed to improving the communities we serve both within their real estate profession and beyond.

LITT’s Mission is to support families suffering the collateral damage of their child’s addiction. Our peer-led support groups are healing spaces where parents share resources, education, and strategies as they travel this journey with their child or deal with the aftermath of loss.

While we are Maryland based, our reach has grown exponentially, especially in light of the fentanyl crisis, and we now serve upwards of 200 families across the nation and beyond in our healing support groups.

In addition to our parent, sibling, and grief support groups, LITT is also a Certified Overdose Response Program in partnership with Maryland Department of Health. This allows us to work with the community to train in the use of Narcan and provide barrier free access to this life saving medication that can reverse an overdose. Our team of trained volunteers works tirelessly to bring our Undo the OD program to bars, restaurants, and public gathering spaces, as well as colleges and universities across the state of Maryland.

Because of our outstanding volunteers, LITT never charges a family for any of the services we provide.  But the need continues to grow. Families need us. And we need to continue to train support group leaders to manage our Undo The OD program, and to continue our efforts to erase the shame and stigma of substance use disorder and promote healing for families around the country.

We hope you will never need our services, that you will never travel the trenches of addiction with a loved one. But if you or your family should ever need us, we are here. And our services will always remain completely free to the public and families just like yours.

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With the support of their team leaders, Lisa Hapney and Arabella Brockett of The ONE Group, Ashley Osineme and Lindsay Buck volunteer once a week with BARCS (Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter). Beyond that, they have become involved with PALS which is the committee that plans and executes their large off-site fundraisers. Lindsay shared real ways they are making an impact, “We just completed BARCtoberfest which raised $322,000 for the animals at BARCS, we have successfully found dogs homes through our social media posts, have raised awareness as well as recruited other volunteers to BARCS.”

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“There are six  of us that put on an annual “warehouse sale” event with all proceeds going to a different women/children’s charity in our Delaware community.  We have 30+ local and not so local retailers/vendors who bring their merchandise (50% has to be 30% off or more) for the two day event held the first Friday/Saturday of February.  We have raised $265,000 to date for the various charities – you can see all on our website.

The event draws over 1000 (mostly women) shoppers!  It’s an amazing and upbeat event that gives back to our community.” – Kerry

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“I am the founder and Chairman of Druid Hill Park Partnership, a public private partnership responsible for friend-raising and fundraising for America’s third oldest park. We are working with city and state agencies on private fundraising to augment state and local allocations.  In 2022, I have secured twenty-four corporate and community sponsorships for the organization and $400,000 in state funding.  We had our public launch on October 13^th with over 250 people in attendance and every federal, state and local official that represents Druid Hill Park and adjacent communities including Mayor Brandon Scott. 

Chairman roles and responsibilities:

• Establish public and private partnerships with entities for economic redevelopment and marketing purposes
• Organize awareness and fundraising events for Druid Hill Park and the eleven communities surrounding Druid Hill Park
• Assist with formation of state level Druid Hill Park Development Authority
• Manage community charrette events outlining the mission and vision of the organization
• Meet and engage with developers, donors, residents, non-profits, and related groups to discuss Druid Hill Park Partnership
• Participate in grant writing processes soliciting seed funding

Media Coverage of the Launch Event:

• WMAR: https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/im-excited-druid-hill-park-launches-new-partnership-to-improve-the-area
• WYPR: https://www.wypr.org/show/future-city/2022-10-28/druid-hill-park-the-maryland-zoo
• Baltimore Brew: https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2022/10/17/developers-residents-and-politicians-flock-to-druid-hill-park-anticipating-historic-amount-of-investment/
• Afro- American: https://afro.com/druid-hill-park-partnership-seeks-to-enhance-community-presence-and-input-in-redevelopment-of-baltimore-gem/
• Bmore News: https://bmorenews.com/the-glover-report/the-glover-report-with-extraordinary-prescience-druid-hill-park-partnership-promises-a-more-diverse-and-equitable-future/

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Rodney Dotson and Kimberly Kepnes, Senior Vice President, have facilitated the proposed Senate Bill 678/ House Bill 762- “Real Property – Residential Contract of Sale – Buyer Privacy” with the goal of removing the buyer name from the residential contract of sale in the State of Maryland to further Fair Housing as well as support home sellers to guard against implicit bias in housing decisions and give all home buyers equal opportunity.

Rodney shares his perspective, “As a lifelong Baltimorean I’m always committed to serving my community by identifying their specific needs and creating action behind it. As a global real estate advisor, it matters not if our clients are in the luxury sector or first-time homebuyers; all deserve an equal and fair transaction.”

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“I have a history of being involved in efforts to continually improve the industry at large going back to being one of the first Baltimore agents selected for the SCOPE program twenty years ago, for which I was given a Homeownership Hero award by NAR in 2012. Over the last few years I was one of the agents requested to take part in creating the first MR committee on DEI, which is now in its third year and I’m vice chair, and currently serving in the DEI slot on the MR Executive Committee, second year on MR’s Board of Directors in that slot as well.

Last week, I started my fifth year on GBBR’s Board of Directors and second year on their Executive Committee, at least ten years on the Professional Standards committee and was also asked to be one of the original members on GBBR’s Public Policy Committee, where we’re putting together a pro-active list of priorities that we’d like to see enacted to improve the industry from our perspective and from the perspective of the consumer.”

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I’m involved in the following:

Helping Up Mission, a 365 alcohol and drug treatment program in East Baltimore. I volunteer twice a month serving dinners,  I also attend tours of the women and children center with my colleagues to encourage them to volunteer as well.

Cool Kids Campaign, an organization that supports children been treated for cancer.

I joined this in October, I will be assisting the executive Director on December 10 with their annual Christmas parade and fundraiser.

Live Baltimore, I support their efforts to bring incentives to all homebuyers through my weekly newsletter. 

Second Chance, this nonprofit sells secondhand furnishings appliances anything that connects to a home. They hire 80% people who are re-entering society from prison. I support purchasing products and support them in my newsletter. Also keeping stuff recycled, out of dumpsters and landfills.

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“The positive changes I’ve made involve being a mentor to new real estate licensees through the National Association of REALTORS Spire Program.  A ground breaking initiative created to drive inclusivity in the real estate industry through mentorship and education.

I’ve been an active member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America DC Metro Chapter since 2015 and currently serve as the Vice President of the DC Metro Chapter. AREAA is dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities by creating a powerful national voice for housing and real estate professionals that serve this dynamic market.”