Three different charities are set to receive a combined $32,000 from Feiner Real Estate after the sale of the Mad Martha’s ice cream locations in downtown Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown.
The donation is part of a program started about a half decade ago by the real estate company, which has pledged to donate 10 per cent of its commissions to charities of their clients’ choosing.
The Mad Martha’s donation will bring the company’s total pledge to more than $300,000 since the first check was signed in 2016.
Entered in land records in late May, the Mad Martha’s properties were sold by Patricia and Paul Roberts to a group of investors led by Little House Cafe owner Brook Katzen, and Jim Shane, for $6.2 million, with rights to the business sold for an additional $2.2 million.
Jared Bickell of Feiner Real Estate was the listing agent.
The $32,000 Mad Martha’s donation will be spread among three different charities, with $8,200 going toward Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, $8,200 going toward Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard, and $16,400 going toward Island Housing Trust.
Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard provides end-of-life care for Islanders, while Harbor Homes is an umbrella organization for all homelessness prevention programming on Martha’s Vineyard.
Island Housing Trust is a nonprofit land trust dedicated to creating and sustaining permanently affordable housing options on the Vineyard.
An additional $4,000 will be donated to IHT after a separate sale, company owner Jim Feiner said, bringing IHT’s total donation to $20,000.
Mr. Feiner said the idea to donate 10 per cent of real estate commissions to charity arose after he noticed smaller-scale donations were not addressing the broad community need.
“If we’re doing well, we should be in a good position to be generous and make a difference,” Mr. Feiner said. “For me, it was an opportunity to merge philanthropy and business.”
Five years ago, the company’s first check for $4,500 was signed to Island Housing Trust. They hope to reach a total of $500,000 donated by 2025.
“It’s exciting, and it’s been great,” Mr. Feiner said. “I love the fact that we can have meaningful donations, that have significant impact.”
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