Shown (from left) are: Richard Herzbach, LIREG charity committee chair; Karen Katzman, principal of the school, Marnie Katzman, director of special events for the school; Peter Schapero, co-president of LIREG; Matthew Zangwill, SLCD board member and Scott Burman, co-president of LIREG.

Mineola, NY Continuing a tradition of charitable giving, the Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG) has donated $134,500 to five Long Island charities.

LIREG, a networking and philanthropic group composed of almost 400 professionals in the real estate industry and allied trades, raised the funds through member contributions and fund-raising events held throughout the year.  Its donations are used to fund real estate-related endeavors of various charities.

Shown (from left) are: Richard Herzbach, LIREG charity committee chair; Peter Schapero, LIREG co-president; Suzanne Reek, executive director of NSASA, and Scott Burman, LIREG co-president.

The recipients and the donations, announced at the organization’s November 2^nd breakfast meeting, included:

• School for Language and Communication Development (SLCD). The Glen Cove-based organization, whose mission is to identify children with language and autism spectrum disorders and to help them to communicate, received $51,000. The funds will be used for renovation of a preschool and elementary school playground at a school SCLD operates in New Hyde Park.

• Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), Hempstead. The charity, which addresses hunger and homelessness on Long Island by providing food and shelter, received $30,000.  The money will help pay for the design and installation of a family dining room at the Mary Brennan INN in Hempstead. 

• Nassau Suffolk Chapter of the Autism Society of America (NSASA), Wantagh. The Long Island-based chapter of nation’s oldest Autism group works to get families who deal with Autism to become fully participating members of the community, received $28,000.  The funds will be used to pay for the renovation of a greenhouse in Wantagh to enhance NSASA’s Day Hab programs.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, Greenvale. The Island’s leading voice for the performing arts on Long Island since 1980, received $27,500 to upgrade the assistive listening system used by patrons with hearing loss at the Tilles Center Concert and Recital Halls on the CW Post Campus.  

Shown (from left) are: Peter Schapero, co-president of LIREG; Meryl Cassidy, executive director of Response, Richard Herzbach, LIREG charity committee chair; and Scott Burman, co-president of LIREG.

• Response of Suffolk County, Stony Brook. The operator of a crisis intervention and suicide prevention hot line received $25,000 to upgrade the working environment at the organization’s offices.

“Giving to these charities — and the others that we have contributed to over the years – makes it all worthwhile at the end of the day,” said LIREG co-president Peter Schapero. “These contributions demonstrate how seriously the Long Island Real Estate Group regards its efforts to make a difference on Long Island.”

LIREG co-president Scott Burman said, “Thanks to all of our generous supporters, we are thrilled to be able to benefit these organizations. I am very happy that our organization can do so much good by spreading our donations across such a cross-section of Long Island charities.” 

“I am extremely pleased that LIREG was able to grant the requests of each of these five worthwhile charities,” said Richard Herzbach, chairman of LIREG’s charity committee.

Since its founding in 2004, LIREG has contributed more than $1.2 million to numerous real estate-related projects undertaken by charities on Long Island. Past LIREG contributions have gone to: Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, Angela’s House, Building Homes for Heroes, Camp Anchor, Canine Companions for Independence, Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory NDA Learning Center, Community Development Corp. of Long Island, EAC Network, Family Service League, Fitzgerald House, Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Haven House/Bridges Inc., Hofstra University Career Counseling Center, Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Long Island, Hospice Care Network, Katz Women’s Hospital, Landmark on Main Street, Let the Children Play Foundation, Little Flower Children and Family Services Long Beach Recreation Center, Long Beach Senior Center, Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation, Long Island Children’s Museum, North Shore Holiday House, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, North Shore Hospital Tower Building Heliport, Ronald McDonald House of Long Island,  Schneider Children’s Hospital, Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center,  St. Charles Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, South Nassau Communities Hospital and Sunrise Day Camp.