Immediately following the December tsunami tragedy in Asia, SIBOR’s Board of Directors authorized a Tsunami Relief matching fund of $10,000.  Rather than contributing the funds to a national Realtor fund supported by the National Association of Realtors, the directors were unanimous in their desire to participate in Tsunami efforts organized locally on Staten Island.  When the call went out from Borough President Jim Molinaro, SIBOR was ready.  The matching fund was announced at the SIBOR Installation Luncheon on January 7^th attended by the Borough President and Father Jack Ryan of Project Hospitality, one of the Staten Island organizations, along with the Staten Island Rotary Foundation, coordinating the Staten Island Tsunami Relief Fund.  Over $4,000 was pledged at the Installation and overall the SIBOR fund was able to present checks totaling $21,207 to the Staten Island Tsunami Relief Fund. SIBOR was the single-largest donor to the fund, other than the banks, amongst businesses, civic organizations and trade associations throughout the Island.

On February 14^th, the day with the heart, SIBOR President Sari Kingsley and CEO Sandy Krueger were invited by the Borough President’s office to attend a press briefing at Borough Hall.  Borough President Molinaro thanked the Realtors for their support.  He also had a check of over $31,000 from contributions made by citizens, many $1.00 and $2.00 at a time, that was also given over to the Tsunami Relief Fund.  It had been publicized that $1.00 is the amount needed to feed one victim for one day.  He indicated that Staten Island, so far, is alone among the five boroughs to come together as a community and coordinate a relief fund for this horrific tragedy.  He thanked the hundreds of Staten Islanders, who gave what they could give and said it demonstrated the depth of the “Community Spirit” that exists within the Staten Island community.   He gave special recognition to Mrs. Alice Diamond for being the spearhead for the fund.  BP Molinaro indicated that the Staten Island fund had grown to over $600,000. 

SIBOR President Sari Kingsley was proud of the Realtors’ effort. “Congratulations to our members for coming together with such vigor and dedication to aid the tsunami victims in their plight,” she said.

"On behalf of Staten Island Relief Fund, we thank everybody for every dollar raised, for every donation given, for every act of kindness and love and compassion that were given to volunteers," said the Rev. Terry Troia, executive director of Project Hospitality.

The aid money will be divided equally among the American Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, American Friends Service Committee, UNICEF, Church World Services, Staten Island Buddhist Vihara, Staten Island Hindu Temple, American Friends of Magen David Adom and the American Red Crescent Society.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has partnered with Habitat for Humanity International to build "Realtor Villages" to help people who lost their homes during the great tsunami that devastated several South Asian countries in December. NAR has exceeded its $1 million goal and has expanded its campaign.

“Realtor Villages” are designed to get the homeless out of temporary shelters in camps as a first step toward permanent housing. The villages comprise "core houses," which are permanent structures that, in some cases, will be built on the foundation of the previous homes. Each unit will feature one room and a porch under a roof, plus sanitary facilities. The homes could be improved and later extended.