It's National Nurses Week AND Teacher Appreciation Week! We are a pay-it-forward team and have programs for First Responders, Educators and Veterans. What follows is part of an interview done with Fabiola in 2018 by VoyageHouston. During the interview, she was asked whether she looked back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood. The answer to that question tells the story of our Forza Pays it Forward Program...
While we wouldn’t necessarily deem this as a ‘favorite’ childhood memory, it’s one that changed Fabiola’s life and has impacted so much of what she’s done ever since....
Fabiola had an older brother who ended up passing after an unexpected heart attack when she was younger. She spent years in the hospitals with him and refused to leave his side. During this time, the nurses and first responders got used to Fabiola being around and they began letting her pitch in and help wherever needed that she could, and they watched out for her like their own.
The love and care that these first responders provided for the patients and their families day in and day out with such compassion has fueled Fabiola to this day to want to be able to repay them for all that they do. Upon settling down in Katy as a single mother, a U.S. Veteran who she now refers to as her brother took Fabiola under his and his family’s wings and helped her with everything she ever needed.
His wife, ironically, turned out to be an E.R. nurse as well and as we’ve said – the universe makes no mistakes. This was just a further reinforcement for Fabiola to find a way to pay it forward to these individuals for all of their sacrifices. When Forza was created, we instituted the Forza Pays it Forward Program to do just that. We passionately believe in giving back and it is an absolute honor to serve those who have for so long and so unselfishly served us all.
First Responders, Veterans and Educators qualify under this program for a contribution from Forza towards their cost investment associated with their real estate transaction as well as an additional contribution made to the Ballard House on their behalf!
The Ballard House is dedicated to providing compassionate support to individuals and their caregivers who travel to Houston, Texas for world-renowned medical treatment. They offer a temporary, no-cost home away from home, fostering a warm and welcoming environment that prioritizes safety and community-- and Fabiola serves on their Board!
In 2005 the CEO of Keller Williams Realty issued a challenge to KW market centers around the country to “leave a legacy” in the communities in which they live and work. The associates of Keller Williams Premier Realty in Katy took that challenge to heart, and Cinco Charities, Inc. was birthed with the mission to provide temporary housing for patients and their caregivers coming to the Katy/West Houston area medical facilities for treatment of life-threatening illnesses. From a monthly allowance to cover patients’ hotels, to the donated home known as Erins Place to the December 2013 grand opening of 16 rooms The Ballard House which boasts 20,000 square feet of livable space and is located on three acres in the heart of Katy. A few days later, our first five families were moved in. And they keep arriving from other countries, all over the US and from the four corners of Texas.