Local Realtors Pledge to Contribute to Hurricane Katrina Aid Efforts

San Ramon, CA, September 04, 2005 --(PR.com)-- Tony and Andrea Tannouri, San Ramon Valley resident Realtors, began a campaign this week that allows their real estate team to multiply their efforts to help the Katrina survivors.

The leader in real estate technology, a la mode, Inc. announced on Friday that it would match their donation made to the American Red Cross, dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. Having previously donated to the Red Cross all they could afford monetarily at the moment plus giving blood, they came up with the idea to pledge $1,000 per real estate transaction to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

A statement was issued by a la mode’s founder and chairman Dave Biggers, according to a press release issued September 1st, for users to donate as much as possible to the Red Cross, so that he could match the entire $250,000. “And if the response is overwhelming,” he challenged, “I will be happy to go farther.”

As one of the largest non-profit organizations in the world, the American Red Cross responds to disasters in the United States and around the world every day. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross is launching one of its largest responses ever to a national disaster, and it’s still not enough to support the needs of all the evacuees who have been forced from their homes.

"We were trying to think of something more to do to help those unfortunate families and we came up with this," explained Tannouri of their real estate team’s “Sell for Aid” campaign. "It will allow us to involve our clients and continue to contribute ourselves to the desperate need for sustained effort in the relief and rebuilding process in the coming months.”

To promote the program, the Tannouri Team posted a press release on their a la mode websites and mailed postcards to current and potential clients informing them of their charitable program. One side of the postcard is a photo of Andrea holding a cardboard sign stating "Will Sell For Aid." The postcards, which were mailed to their personal clients and a database of property owners in the Tri-Valley area, are a way for the Tannouri Team to get people to spread the word about this program. They hope that clients and competitors alike will be inspired by the idea and think outside of the box to see how they too can contribute beyond the norm. Depending on the amount of sales they complete, and doubled by the pledge of a la mode, the Red Cross could realize a significant sum of money to help those who were affected by Hurricane Katrina.

"We have always felt that we’ve been very blessed. This time we wanted to do something where we could make a big difference," said Tannouri. "Everyone has hardships in life. But this is a heartbreaking disaster that requires more than the usual donation. We are fortunate to be in a position to dedicate our time and efforts to help the families affected get back on their feet."

To date, the combined efforts of and a la mode and its donors have totaled $255,778 in aid to the Hurricane Katrina survivors through the American Red Cross.

For more information on the “Sell for Aid” program, e-mail aid@tonytannouri.com. To have a donation to the Red Cross matched by a la mode, go to alamode.com/katrina. To get information on blood donation, go to GiveLife.org.

###