Marjory Stoneman Douglas Crisis and Children's Charities Draw Out SoFlo REALTORS® Response

Signature Gives Back, Inc. (SGB), the charitable arm of The Signature Real Estate Companies (SREC), hosted its Second Annual "Signature’s Got Talent Show" at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton, Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018.

“All who attended this talent showcase experienced a magical evening, a combination of entertainment and enlightenment,” SREC Executive Vice President and SGB Vice President, Jack Jaiven, said. “We raised more than $5,000 to assist two remarkable children’s charities: KidSafe Foundation and Wayne Barton Study Center.”

SREC Broker/President and SGB President, Ben G. Schachter, emceed the dynamic fundraiser. “SGB is the vehicle our generous agents use to make an extensive impact on the quality of our community, people who need the loving and tender hand we extend.”

Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie; Wayne Barton, Founder of Wayne Barton Study Center; Sally Berenzweig, Co-Founder and Executive Director of KidSafe Foundation; and SunSentinel’s Tanya Plath comprised the judges panel.

The judges chose three winners from the 11 talented SREC performers, with Sung Knowles’ complex piano performance coming in first. Runners up were Sabrina Zarmati and Christine Rona, “each of whom mesmerized the audience with their beautiful voices,” said Jaiven.

“SGB talent show committee members, in tandem with others from the Signature Family, truly prove you can be the change you wish to see in this world,” said Wendy Pressner, SGB Vice President. SGB Assistant Secretary and event co-chair, Andrea Carrara, added it “was nothing short of stellar, the perfect combination of heart and professionalism.”

Parallel Real-Time Help to MSD Family...

While South Florida grieves the passing of 17 innocent people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, one local family has received a grant of $7,000 from SGB and SREC to offset the steep medical, psychological and economic costs of the tragedy.

Preferring anonymity, the family’s daughter, an MSD student, survived being shot.

At the "Signature’s Got Talent Show" 150+ guests paid silent tribute to the Parkland victims. David Dweck, an SREC REALTOR®, sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” substituting “pray for Parkland” in the lyrics. It moved the otherwise boisterous crowd to silent contemplation.

Schachter took swift response post-tragedy by initiating a company-wide blood drive, with 37 successfully matched blood donations. Schachter---voted 2017's Broker of the Year by The Real Estate Finder Team---also designed and sparked the sale of wristbands reading #MSDStrong. Sales of the wristbands have topped 2,000 and continue to pour in from around the country.

SREC REALTOR® Maya Allen, new to SGB, mobilized and purchased 750 wristbands for her daughter’s network of friends and family.

“Sarah was one of the ways I was going to help. We TALKED to people. These were my daughter’s peers… Signature Gives Back, Inc. was able to personally help a family profoundly impacted by this tragedy.”