Making life easier for those less fortunate:
FAR honored Mike and Betsy Owen, members of the Realtor Association of the Palm Beaches, as co-winners of the 2009 Humanitarian of the Year Award. The duo is described as “a team in the business of making life easier for those less fortunate.”

All over the world, the Owens help people in times of great need: Sometimes it’s by cleaning up after a disaster, or distributing supplies, or by building desperately needed shelter. The couple has participated in numerous Habitat for Humanity build projects in Florida (Boynton Beach, Orlando, Lake Worth) and elsewhere, including New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Khao Lak, Pang Nga Province, Thailand.

For many years, the Owens have raised money to eliminate polio. When the Owens learned about a National Immunization Day project created through a large financial donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, they booked a flight halfway around the world – at their own expense – to serve on an immunization team in India and administered an oral polio vaccine to children known as “untouchables.”

The Owens are strong advocates for the Polio Plus Program; and they advocate for continued childhood polio immunization in Florida. Betsy Owen is a polio survivor. She and her husband Mike believe that as long as even one child in the world has polio, all children are at risk.

A tireless fund raiser and children's advocate:
FAR honored Claudette Bruck, a member of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale, as winner of the 2008 Humanitarian of the Year Award. In a historic first for FAR, this marks the second time Bruck received the distinguished award: FAR also named her Humanitarian of the Year in 2000.

At the heart of her community efforts, Bruck is concerned with the welfare of children. She is a tireless fundraiser, financial supporter and volunteer for the Broward Partnership for the Homeless Inc., helping more than 12,000 homeless individuals since 1999. The organization operates a 200-bed emergency shelter and a 62-bed transitional housing program. Since 1984, she has also served as a member of the state’s Guardian Ad Litem program, which advocates for children in need. For her work with that program, the Florida Supreme Court and former Governor Jeb Bush honored her as “Child Advocate of the Year.”

Bruck also has served as a commissioner for the city of Coral Springs since 2006 and is a member of the Citizens Emergency Response Team.

A safety net for children:
Tricia Carlisle-Northcutt, member of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors®, felt compelled to help low-income children who often don’t qualify for government-sponsored health programs. So she founded the Children’s Volunteer Health Network (CVHN) in April 2005, which provides free medical, dental and mental health care to children without insurance in two counties where access to health care is poor.

In only two years, CVHN has provided care to 300 children using a network of more than 80 doctors, dentists and mental health professionals, who donate their services. All of CVHN’s funding comes from grassroots donations and 85 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to helping the children. She was awarded the 2007 FAR Humanitarian of the Year award for her efforts.

Caring and sharing:
In 2003, Dan Berube accepted the Humanitarian of the Year Award on behalf of himself and his late wife, Mary. The award, presented by the Florida Association of Realtors®, recognized their dedication and involvement with The Third Option program.   

After benefiting from marriage counseling through the service, the Berubes led a local program in Pensacola for more than 11 years.  "Our involvement in The Third Option helped us to create a marriage that became near perfect," Dan says.

"As much as I championed The Third Option, Mary championed it more. She was a true believer. She shared the vision with other couples every chance she got. Mary walked the walk, every day with everyone."

Making families strong:
Laura Neiman, 2005 Humanitarian of the Year
 award winner, volunteers her time with Pinellas Village, a single-parent community that offers affordable housing, employment training and parenting skills.  

The common goal is for residents to be self-supportive, without government assistance, within five years. Many graduates from Pinellas Village have earned higher education degrees. Not only that, a significant number of recipients have become homeowners.

Laurie’s fund-raising efforts helped more than 100 families transition from welfare to independence. She truly believes in giving families a hand up, not a hand out. Her tireless efforts also have been noted in the St. Petersburg Times and other west coast publications.  

Tireless commitment:
From the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors, serves as a guardian ad litem, representing children’s interests in court.

She’s another FAR Humanitarian of the Year winner. Former FAR President Russell Grooms said she single-handedly kept a family together. Deborah had realized the Florida Department of Children and Families erred in removing three young children from their mother and worked tirelessly to overturn the ruling. The courts agreed and reunited the family, eventually dismissing the case. Deborah didn’t stop there. She continued to help the family on their road to independence, so that the mother could earn her GED and buy a car.