Face to Face staff and representatives of Elfant Wissahickon Realtors and Martin Elfant Inc celebrated a $30,000 donation to the nonprofit by the real estate companies. Front row, from left: Face to Face chef Altenor Vaval, Face to Face executive director Mary Kay Meeks, Elfant Wissahickon resident and partner Bob Elfant, Elfant partner Louise D'Alessandro, operations director of Face to Face Marie McCabe and Elfant partner Larry DiFranco. Back row, from left: Martin Elfant Inc. managing partner Jared Pontz, Elfant managing partner Paul Walsh, Freedom Mortgage vice president John Coneys, Mortgage Master senior loan officer Craig Smith and Face to Face facilities manager Sabu Hubert.

Elfant Wissahickon Realtors, in partnership with Martin Elfant Inc., announced last week that they have raised $30,000 for Face to Face, a nonprofit organization in Germantown that provides help and hope, to residents of Germantown living in poverty.

From its origins as a soup kitchen in 1985, Face to Face has evolved into a multi­service organization, offering free human services to more than 2,500 low-income and homeless individuals each year. In addition to serving meals, it provide social and legal services, an arts studio and a summer camp program.

Elfant Wissahickon Realtors, Martin Elfant Inc., and Direct Mortgage Loan Company, raised the money over a 12-month period by collecting and pooling donations from their agents and mortgage and title partners (Freedom Mortgage, Mortgage Master, and First Choice Bank, in addition to Northwest Abstract and Class Abstract). Each time a house was bought or sold, a space was rented, or a title policy and/or a loan was placed, a donation was made to Face To Face.

The partners of Elfant Wissahickon Realtors and Martin Elfant Inc. matched the $20,000 raised at 50 percent, for a total of $30,000, which will be given out over three years through Elfant Wissahickon Realtors’ “Building Community Initiative.”

“Face To Face works hard to recognize their clients as people, acknowledging their self-worth, notwithstanding their difficult financial circumstances,” said Bob Elfant, President and Partner of Elfant Wissahickon. “We did not simply write checks, but are proud to have built a meaningful relationship with the organization in an attempt to extend the impact of our partnership.”

“The partnership between Elfant Wissahickon and Face to Face is a model for what can happen when businesses truly care about their communities,” Mary Kay Meeks, executive director of Face to Face, said. “The relationships formed between Elfant’s agents and Face to Face clients and staff were key to the success of this wonderful venture. This could not have happened without the imagination and generosity of Bob Elfant and his team. Bob and the executive team all donned aprons along with other clients and served our guests with respect and hospitality. We are so grateful for this outpouring of financial support and humble service.”