2024 GIVING REPORT
SERENO
“ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
— MARGARET MEAD “
Founders
Dear Friends,
Each year, I have the privilege and opportunity to write this introductory letter. Although the task is always difficult for me, the struggle of process and result are one of the most rewarding things I experience as a founder, leader, and person. This introduction is a labor of love because it means so much to me and others. The responsibility of articulating the meaning of the Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is immense and something that I take most seriously.
As a residential real estate brokerage our success is often measured by our annual sales volume and market share. It is the result of the larger business and economic framework within which we participate. We celebrate our accomplishments from that standpoint because it represents the commitment and hard work of everyone within the organization. We are always at once proud and humbled by our success as a business, but we always desire and strive for more.
Our goal has always been accomplishment, but, just as important and at a deeper, human level, it has also included our role as contributors to the greater good of society. Defining our success solely on the matrix of business alone would feel, to us, one dimensional and myopic. The larger challenge for us has and always will be how we create meaning through our success. How can we, through our fiscal accomplishments, create a lasting impact on society?
This is why our Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is at the very core of everything we do at Sereno. Yes, our primary role is as a real estate brokerage of excellence, but our purpose, the meaning behind what we do, is articulated through our actions and participation within the communities we serve and beyond.
Our focus and support of community-minded organizations through our Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is essential to what we do as a for-profit company. It defines our organizational character and, hopefully, anchors us to the value of responsible citizenship. Our commitment lies within the belief that we have an obligation to leverage our success for the benefit of the society in which we have the privilege of belonging.
We can never have enough of these community-minded organizations and causes because they often work in the in-between spaces where business and commerce do not apply. These organizations are the true heroes of society because their purpose lies within the human experience and they often work tirelessly without desiring celebration or recognition.
As we head into our 13th year of our Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation’s existence and eclipse $6,500,000 in giving, we hope the support we have given to the many locally rooted organizations has resulted in the betterment of people’s lives, our communities, and society as a whole.
Life should be something we all contribute to and, through that contribution, hopefully enrich the world in positive ways. Our goal as an organization of meaning is that we create a legacy of some sort. And our hope is that the legacy Sereno makes for future generations is one that will be recognized as positive, virtuous, and supportive of the greater good.
On behalf of Chris and everyone at Sereno, we thank you for your support of our endeavor and for all of which is greater than ourselves.
With Gratitude,
Ryan Iwanaga Co-Founder & Chief Experience Officer, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno
Ryan Iwanaga & Chris Trapani
We believe in giving back to the places we live in and love.
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR 2024 GIVING
Community Impact Fund
In 2024 we donated $250,000 to local organizations such as the Innocence Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County.
Ecosystem Fund
In 2024 we donated $92,500 to local organizations such as Canopy and Early Alert Canines.
Education Fund
In 2024 we donated $95,000 to local organizations such as Walden West Foundation and UNAFF (United Nations Association Film Festival) hosted at Stanford.
Equity & Access Fund
In 2024 we donated $107,500 to local organizations such as Center for Farmworker Families and Special Olympics Northern California.
Sereno 1% For Good movement is established by a group of Santa Cruz agents.
SVBJ
Sereno volunteer hours 5,084.
Sereno volunteer hours 4,187.
YEARS OF GIVING 13 GIVEN BACK $6.5M+ NONPROFIT PARTNERS 600+ COUNTIES SUPPORTED 11 GIVEN BACK IN 2024 $627K+
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #21
Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation is created.
Sereno volunteer hours 8,885.
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #34 COVID-19 Relief and Equity & Access Funds are created.
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #24
Culture Fund is created to support the arts.
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #27
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #27
Education Fund is created and $100,000 is committed to the education sector.
This is our highest ranking to date. 2023
SVBJ Top 50 Givers #20
The mission of The Street Dog Coalition (SDC) is to provide free veterinary care to pets of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Using a One Health approach to street medicine and pop-up street clinics, we care for both ends of the leash. We believe in the transformative bond between humans and animals and aim to support both through equitable, compassionate, and community-driven programs. Our work is driven by four core values:
• Unconditional Love: Everything we do is done with love and kindness, without judgment or conditions.
• Compassionate Activism: We seek the courage to “swim upstream” and always do the right thing.
• Unbridled Collaboration: Our work cannot be done in a silo. We rely on supporters and community partners to help us think outside the box, complement existing resources, establish trust, walk the talk, and deliver accessible, quality care through tailored delivery models.
• Trust: Trust is the foundation of this organization. We strive to authentically connect and build trust with everyone we work with and everyone we meet, on both ends of the leash.
In May of 2015, the first Street Dog Clinic took place in Fort Collins, Colorado, across from the Sister Alice Murphy Center for Hope. Twenty-five dogs and five cats received free veterinary care from a team of five veterinarians, four veterinary technicians, three veterinary students and several dedicated volunteers. The Street Dog Coalition has since expanded to over 60 cities across the U.S., and in 2024, over 1,000 veterinarians and over 4,600 nonveterinarian volunteers cared for over 7,000 dogs and 2,000 cats through SDC Street Clinics.
SDC provides free basic veterinary and preventive care, as well as free spay/neuter services to pets of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. By caring for the pets of our unhoused neighbors, we ensure that this uniquely vulnerable population is able to 1) keep their pets and maintain the mutually beneficial human-animal bond they share with them; 2) access alternatives to economic euthanasia and pet surrender; and 3) decrease the risk of infectious and zoonotic disease spread in their communities.
Since 2015, SDC has developed an efficient and effective street outreach model that brings needed veterinary care to locations easily accessed by the homeless and near-homeless populations that we serve, taking into account potential barriers such as transportation challenges and lack of knowledge of available resources. This “street clinic” outreach model can include forays into encampments by foot or van, and veterinary care stations at homeless day shelters, churches, parking lots, and city parks. This model also includes participation in large multi-service events such as Project Homeless Connect and Veteran Stand Downs. By meeting our unhoused neighbors and their animal companions where they are at, we are able to provide lifesaving care to pets that are otherwise forgotten by (and often invisible to) more traditional systems of animal welfare and advocacy.
SDC was fortunate to be the recipient of $12,500 from Christie’s Sereno in 2024, and those funds made a huge impact on our ability to care for pets and their people. In March 2025, our Bay Area Street Team helped out Papi the puppy and his parent Shannon. Shannon, who brought him in for care of an ear infection, told us, “This couldn’t have come at a better time.” In the past, Papi
has only ever been seen by our SDC veterinarians. She shared that about a month ago she had taken him to a vet’s office for the first time for itching, and it cost her $375. They wouldn’t release him to her until she paid, and it was very stressful. She shared, “I am so grateful he can be seen today. He was struggling so bad.” The team was able to determine Papi did have an infection in his ear, and provided treatment and medication Shannon could take to continue his treatment. We’re grateful for Shannon’s trust, and the way that our partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno allowed us to help her care for Papi.
Jesse and Linda, parents of four, shared how the food they receive from the food bank fills critical gaps for their family of six, especially during tight financial times. Food plays a central role in their lives — not only during holidays when they prepare traditional meals like turkey and tamales, but also in everyday family moments where cooking together creates lasting memories.
“Teamwork makes the dream work, right? We all get in and cook together, and it always makes it that much better.”
— Jesse
“When we come to get food (from the SLO Food Bank), it actually helps fill in the gaps that we’re missing at home. It eases the challenge of trying to get dinner going for us because there are six of us in our family.”
— Linda
— Malala Yousafzai “
Building Thriving Communities, One Home at a Time
A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL IMPACT
At Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, giving back to the places we live in and love is not just another program, it is at the heart of who we are. It is woven into our culture, guiding our vision and shaping our impact.
The Sereno 1% For Good Charitable Foundation started as a simple idea — the belief that a real estate company could be more than just transactions and properties. That together, as REALTORS® and as neighbors, we could be agents of change in the communities we serve. Over the years, this idea has taken root and flourished, reaffirming our belief that through our actions, values, and collective efforts, we can build a world where communities don’t just exist, but truly thrive.
From our humble beginnings in 2012 when we awarded our first $5,000 grant to Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue to today, where we have provided over $6,500,000 in funding for over 600 nonprofits across California, our commitment has never wavered.
None of this would be possible without our incredible clients who entrust us with one of the most significant financial and life decisions: buying or selling a home. Their trust in us is the foundation of everything we do, allowing us not only to serve them but also to reinvest in the communities we all cherish.
One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”
We are deeply grateful for their partnership, as it enables us to extend our impact far beyond real estate. In my role as Director of Social Impact at Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, I have been profoundly inspired by our nonprofit partners, our dedicated agents, and our staff, all of whom continue to show up for the greater good even in the most difficult of times. Their passion and perseverance fuel this movement and remind us why we do this work.
As we look ahead, I have no doubt that the lessons of the past will inspire, motivate, and elevate the Sereno 1% for Good Charitable Foundation to even greater heights. Together, we are not just selling homes — we are building strong, connected communities where people can live, grow, and thrive.
With Heartfelt Gratitude,
Kirsty Duncan Director of Social Impact
2024 NONPROFIT RECIPIENTS
1. Alum Rock Counseling Center
2. Boys & Girls Club of Silicon Valley
3. Center for Farmworker Families
4. City Serve of the Tri-Valley
5. Climate Resilient Communities
6. Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA)
7. County Park Friends
8. Culinary Angels
9. Dirty Paws Animal Rescue
10. DreamPower Horsemanship
11. Foundation for the Performing Arts Center
12. Hope’s Corner
13. Live in Peace
14. Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
15. Neighborhood HANDS
16. NorCal Spinal Cord Injury
17. Our Daily Bread
18. PFLAG San Jose
19. Reading Partners Silicon Valley
20. San Carlos Education Foundation
21. San José Public Library Foundation
22. San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
23. Senior Legal Services
24. Seymour Marine Discovery Center
25. The Edward Boss Prado Foundation
26. The Street Dog Coalition
27. Valley Humane Society
28. Walk Strong Bay Area
