The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has announced five winners of the 2024 Good Neighbor Awards. Celebrating its 25th year, the awards spotlight REALTORS® who are not only experts in their field but also champions of volunteerism.
The 2024 Good Neighbor Award winners are as follows:
Ed Gardner, Gardner Real Estate Group (Portland, Maine)
Stacy Horst, Keller Williams Atlantic Partners (Fernandina Beach, Florida)
Christopher Johnson, Imagine Associates LLC Realty (Ellenwood, Georgia)
Danette Johnson, Moab Realty (Moab, Utah)
Charlie Wills, Charlie Wills Team–Real Estate Partners (Madison, Wisconsin)
“Good Neighbor Award winners exemplify the spirit of caring that defines the best of our profession,” said NAR president Kevin Sears, broker-associate of Sears Real Estate/Lamacchia Realty in Springfield, Massachusetts. “Their dedication extends beyond traditional real estate boundaries, forging significant, positive changes in their neighborhoods and underscoring the vital role that agents who are Realtors® play in building stronger, more resilient communities.”
Each of the five winners–selected by a multistage, criteria-based judging process–will be awarded a $10,000 grant for their charity and be featured in the fall 2024 edition of REALTOR® Magazine. NAR will formally present each with their official award on November 9 during NAR NXT in Boston.
More about each winner:
Ed Gardner, Gardner Real Estate Group (Portland, Maine)
Gardner founded the Equality Community Center, which houses 18 LGBTQ-focused nonprofits under one roof with below-market rent. This arrangement fosters collaboration and increases operational efficiency among the organizations, reducing duplicated efforts. Additionally, he is spearheading the nonprofit’s latest project, the development of a 54-unit affordable housing complex for seniors.
Stacy Horst, Keller Williams Atlantic Partners (Fernandina Beach, Florida)
Horst co-founded Erin’s Hope for Friends following the tragic loss of her 17-year-old daughter, Erin, who struggled with social connections and ultimately took her own life. In her memory, Horst and her husband established e’s Club, a supportive space for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. The club fosters lasting relationships through joyful interactions and has positively impacted the lives of more than 1,500 individuals.
Christopher Johnson, Imagine Associates LLC Realty (Ellenwood, Georgia)
Johnson, a board member of 100 Black Men of DeKalb and holder of a doctorate in education, leverages his background as a teacher and principal to enhance educational and economic opportunities for African American youth. As a mentor, he teaches financial literacy and leadership skills, and organizes trips to broaden children’s horizons. He has contributed significantly to the growth of the organization at the local and national levels and has helped introduce financial literacy programs for teens to his local real estate board.
Danette Johnson, Moab Realty (Moab, Utah)
Johnson was a founding member of the Moab Free Health Clinic, which was established in 2008 to serve uninsured and underinsured individuals in this rural and remote area. The clinic handles approximately 3,000 appointments annually, offering primary care, mental health services, vision screening and dental care. Using her real estate expertise, she helped the clinic secure larger facilities due to growing demand for its services.
Charlie Wills, Charlie Wills Team–Real Estate Partners (Madison, Wisconsin)
Wills, co-founder of 100 Men of Dane County, initiated a program where 100 community members make a significant impact by committing to donate $4,000 annually. Each quarter, they accept proposals from local nonprofit causes supporting children and select one to receive a $100,000 grant. To date, they have donated more than $2.3 million in grants, primarily benefiting small nonprofits.
In addition to the winners, the following REALTORS® have been recognized as Good Neighbor Awards honorable mentions and will each receive $2,500 grants for their charity:
Daniel Davies, Davies-Davies & Associates Real Estate (Queensbury, New York)
Howard Friedman, Compass Commercial Real Estate (Bend, Oregon)
Beth Gilbreath, Century 21 Signature (Dubuque, Iowa)
Tisha Janigian, She Is Hope Realty (Canoga Park, California)
Alicia Stukes, LPT Realty Inc. (Bowie, Maryland)
NAR’s Good Neighbor Awards program is sponsored by Realtor.com®. NAR noted that in September, the public was invited to vote for their favorite of the 10 finalists. The top three vote-getters all received additional donations for their charities. The following REALTORS® have been honored as this year’s Web Choice Favorites:
Beth Gilbreath, who will receive an additional $2,500 bonus donation for The Red Basket Project Inc.
Tisha Janigian, who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for She is Hope LA.
Stacy Horst, who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for Erin’s Hope for Friends.
“The Good Neighbor Awards showcase the exceptional commitment of real estate agents who go above and beyond their professional duties to enrich the lives of so many in their communities,” said Realtor.com® CMO Mickey Neuberger. “We extend our congratulations to this year’s winners, finalists and Web Choice Favorites, and commend every agent dedicated to making the world a better place–it all begins with being a good neighbor.”
For more information visit https://www.nar.realtor/.
