Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty’s Young Professionals Network recently brought in $35,000 for the Daniel Gale Foundation at its inaugural fundraising event.
The new young professionals group formed just a few months ago and has already created lots of buzz, according to one of the founding directors, Joseph LaViola, who works at Daniel Gale’s Huntington branch.
“The purpose is to build a networking platform for young professionals in the company, not only to expand their connections and partner with other professionals in the industry, but also to give back to the community by putting these events together,” LaViola said.
The Daniel Gale Foundation donates the money it receives to a variety of different charities on Long Island. To date, it has given to dozens of causes, including America’s Vet Dogs, Huntington Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and Island Harvest.
“If I can help somebody else get something they can’t afford, then that’s a blessing to me,” LaViola said. “To put a smile on somebody’s face, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”
LaViola had only been working in real estate with Daniel Gale for a few months when he was inspired by the Long Island Board of Realtors’s Young Professionals Network to start a similar group at Daniel Gale.
He and his colleague, Lowell Ackerman, who works for Daniel Gale in Sea Cliff and Huntington, held a meet-and-greet event in August 2022 to gauge interest in the idea.
“The outcome was phenomenal, a huge success,” LaViola said. “That’s when we knew it was going to be something, and that’s why we had the fundraiser.”
Daniel Gale YPN’s first-ever fundraising and networking event drew about 200 professionals enthusiastic about networking and doing good by the community to the Inn at New Hyde Park. Many of the companies senior executives, including Daniel Gale CEO Deirdre O’Connell, were in attendance.
“I am elated, impressed and proud of our young professional group, who put together a wildly successful benefit event,” O’Connell said. “Not only did they raise a substantial sum of money for the Daniel Gale Foundation, they put on an outstanding networking event to the great benefit of all who attended.”
Kathleen McCarthy, a real estate adviser based out of the Queens and Garden City offices, and a YPN director, explained why it was so important to bring young real estate professionals and veteran real estate advisors together.
“Over the past three years, we’ve mostly operated in our own silos, meeting by Zoom or in small group settings,” McCarthy said. “Nothing matches the energy of getting together in a local venue while doing good. Our newer agents in particular were able to meet and learn from the top producing legacy agents in the room. These interactions are invaluable stepping stones to future success.”
The YPN has about 30 to 40 members from every Daniel Gale office — spanning from Brooklyn and Queens to the Hamptons — and an advisory board of eight directors who meet to plan quarterly events.
Daniel Gale YPN’s next event will be a golf outing at Huntington Country Club on June 26.