Local realtor group hosts charity event for Family Promise Rochester

(ABC 6 News) – It may have been hot on the golf course Thursday, but it didn’t stop over 150 people from hitting the links at Willow Creek in Rochester.

The event was hosted by Southeast Minnesota Realtors for their annual golf charity event with money going to Family Promise Rochester to help address the homeless issue throughout southeast Minnesota.

Family Promise Rochester’s current homeless shelter can host three families at a time, but there are many more looking for a place to stay. Donations from Thursday’s golf event went toward helping more families get off the waiting list and finding a place they can call home.

“Right now we’re at 36 families on our waitlist so we definitely are working on coming up with a new plan to be able to help more families at a possible expansion happening with the county,” said Erin Sinnwell, Executive Director of Family Promise Rochester.

The Southeast Minnesota Realtors group says partnering with charities like Family Promise Rochester, is an important part for them to give back to the community.

“We hope we can help out this is a community that really, really supports our organization and all of our affiliates,” said Eric Brownlow, Executive and Government Affairs Director of Southeast Minnesota Realtors. “We’re just really happy to give back. We chose someone different every year because quite frankly there’s so many great opportunities to give back to this wonderful community. So we’re just happy to help. “

As the event came to a close on Thursday, approximately $15,000 had already been raised by golfers for Family Promise Rochester. Brownlow said they expected to have somewhere closer to $20,000 by the time organizers had all donations accounted for.