At Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate, our sales associates are always working hard behind the scenes, navigating ever-evolving market conditions, and using their professional know-how to make homeownership dreams a reality. And in an uneasy year marked by low housing inventory, rising interest rates, and historic inflation, it was important to have a local expert to guide you through the buying and selling process.
Celebrating Success
The Realty Alliance is a network of North America’s elite real estate firms. Each year they identify the leading residential sales professionals for their exceptional performance.
The Patterson-Schwartz agents and teams recognized for their efforts in 2022 make up the top 15% of our sales associates in the individual categories of Units and Total Dollar Volume. The qualifying amounts were 16 Units and/or a Total Dollar Volume of $5,900,000.
We are thrilled to congratulate the 75+ Patterson-Schwartz agents and teams for being nationally recognized for their outstanding efforts and accomplishments. These honorees represent the best of the best and epitomize our company’s dedication to providing superior guidance and service in every market.
2022 Realty Alliance Award recipients, listed by sales office:
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent real estate brokerage and offers a full range of services that include residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services, and property management. We’ve been guiding home buyers and sellers since 1961, and invite you to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
“I have an important update, friends,” says Tim Carter as he greets the late October Lunch & Learn crowd at the North Wilmington office of Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate. “Before we start our meeting, I want to share photos from the local mom we helped back in April… a lot of them featuring outfits you so generously gifted. She wants you all to know baby Skylar is doing well and how grateful she continues to be for all of your help.”
As sales manager of PSA Brandywine, Tim Carter’s strength is bringing people together, whether it’s for a training session, a celebration, or, as is often the case, a charitable cause. The office roster is small compared to others in the organization yet the agents are a mighty force when sharing their ideas, time, and resources.
Tim Carter, PSA Brandywine Sales Manager outside the North Wilmington office
Before April 2022, the mother they helped was just a stranger, struggling with a disability and with limited access to support or resources. Her story reached a member of the PSA Brandywine office and Tim dropped a call-to-action in his weekly communication. In less than two weeks, the office had amassed enough donations of diapers, clothes, and baby supplies to fill four car loads and to keep the little girl outfitted for at least two years.
“We saw a need, spread the word, and came together,” says Tim about the donation effort. “It’s just what we do.”
Where good things happen
The Brandywine office of Patterson-Schwartz is tucked in a quiet corner of a bustling commercial plaza off Silverside Road and is home to about 40 full-time sales associates. The two-story brick building is well-equipped for real estate business with the usual desks, conference areas, and a glassed-in board room. But upstairs, the cubicle walls give way to a bright, open space with three large farmhouse tables scattered with chairs.
“It’s a collaborative space,” says Tim when asked about the break with tradition. “Previously, we didn’t have a place for our agents to gather that didn’t feel cramped or formal. One day something came over me and I walked upstairs and just started tearing down a cluster of unused cubicles. Then I went to IKEA.”
The re-imagined space works — and not just for sales meetings or holiday parties. Earlier in the month, agents and partners from Fairway Mortgage used the space to put together over 250 bagged lunches for Ministry of Caring. In September, it was used to sort toiletry donations for Ronald McDonald House. And months before that, it was filled with baby shower gifts for someone they had never met.
It’s a comfortable space where conversation and laughter flows, and good things happen.
Bagged lunches for Ministry of Caring
Four carloads of baby gifts
A generous spirit
“We have a great family here. We’re supportive of each other professionally and personally, and at the heart of everything is this spirit of generosity,” says Tim. “It’s no wonder we often find ways to get together that also give back.”
And give back they do. The office has a monthly commitment going back 20+ years with Meals on Wheels Delaware and members regularly volunteer for the Delaware Food Bank, but a lot of outreach happens organically as needs develop in the community.
It’s these “pop-up” needs that brought their attention to organizations like Urban Promise of Wilmington who needed water bottles for their summer camp program; and the Friendship House Clothing bank who put out an urgent call for winter coats.
It’s also what brought them to a stranger’s doorstep with baby gifts.
#CountingOurBlessings
After the October Lunch & Learn in the collaborative space, Tim walks back to his office to add the baby photos he received to his window of collages. It’s a big collection of happy faces and moments from gatherings and charitable events his office has been a part of.
He has a special memory and story to go with each photo, like a social media feed come to life.
Tim’s collage display on his office window
“If you ask, my group isn’t really fond of getting their pictures taken. They don’t do any of this for recognition, but I’ve never seen a group of people so generous with their time and resources. I document it to remind us just how truly blessed we are.”
About Us
The Patterson-Schwartz Brandywine sales center is located at 2211 Silverside Road. As proud members of the North Wilmington community, the PSA Brandywine staff, sales associates, and mortgage professionals are area experts who care about the people and communities they serve. You’re invited to reach out to Tim, his team, or any of our local offices when you need assistance with your real estate goals.
Live music and laughter fill the air as a friendly game of cornhole gets underway in the parking lot of a seemingly quiet Hockessin office park. It’s late-afternoon on a crisp fall day and there’s not a starched suit in sight.
Business networking never looked so relaxed and fun.
October’s Mid-Month Mixer event at Patterson-Schwartz of Hockessin
The right event for right now
“We’ve been deprived of so much socialization over the past couple of years,” says Juan Fuentes, Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate agent, assistant sales manager of PSA Greenville, and networking event committee co-chair. “Without a doubt, we are loving the return to office gatherings and in-person celebrations within the organization. The time seemed right to create opportunities to connect with the local real estate community at large. Our Mid-Month Mixer is meant to feel like a fun night out and not a straight-laced business meeting.”
Patterson-Schwartz hosted its first Mid-Month Mixer in September 2022 at Timothy’s Pub in Newark with great success. Over 100 attendees came out to enjoy drinks and mingle with colleagues and peers from the local real estate industry and its affiliates.
Fairway Independent Mortgage Company of Delaware partnered with Patterson-Schwartz to sponsor the event and played a big role in the launch by promoting the mixer, providing refreshments, and donating a generous raffle basket. Held in the late afternoon on a Wednesday, the bar was busy and the space was abuzz with lively conversation and the exchange of business cards.
Fairway friends
Kathryn Matic (2nd from left)
Photos from the September Mid-Month Mixer at Timothy’s of Newark
A network of support
October’s Mid-Month Mixer was a more casual outdoor affair that put the spotlight on the company’s largest office and its hospitable spirit.
The back parking lot was transformed into a picnic area with tables, lawn games, and a makeshift bandstand. Friendly smiles welcomed everyone from new and experienced agents, to local lenders and home service providers. There were raffle and cornhole tournament prizes for a few lucky winners and special branded can koozies available to all attendees. But for many, the real reward was something not so tangible.
“These Mid-Month Mixers have been awesome!” Says first-year Patterson-Schwartz Greenville agent Kathryn Matic, who has attended both events.
“I’ve been introduced to and formed relationships with several agents in and outside the organization… and I think these connections and having that support from each other are crucial when doing business. All different types of agents coming together in a cool setting has resulted in some great conversations. Hearing about events like these, even my non-industry friends want to get their license and be a part of the real estate scene.”
Angela Allen & Juan Fuentes
October’s event featured cornhole games and live music
“We love what we have started here,” says Angela Allen, Patterson-Schwartz agent, Assistant Sales Manager of PSA Hockessin, and Mid-Month Mixer co-chair. “It’s been great to see people interacting, forming new relationships, and sharing ideas.
“We look forward to continuing this effort with many creative variations and more partners in the upcoming months… Stay tuned!”
In the local real estate industry as an agent or affiliate? Follow Patterson-Schwartz on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to learn about our Mid-Month Mixer events or send an email to midmonthmixer@psre.com to be added to our distribution list.
About Us
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent real estate brokerage and offers a full range of services that include residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services, and property management. We’ve been guiding home buyers and sellers since 1961, and invite you to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
On her birthday in 2021, Amber Durand received a call from her former Patterson-Schwartz sales manager, Chris Cashman. As calls with old friends typically go, once the well-wishes were expressed, the two got to chatting. Amber, who then-managed her own boutique brokerage, told Chris she was looking for a change.
Welcome home
Amber launched her real estate career in 2010 and spent ten years with Patterson-Schwartz as a member of the PSA Elkton and Newark offices. During that time, she successfully grew her business and established The Durand Group with a dedicated team of her PSA colleagues. Looking to expand into a different market, she decided to relocate her team to Chesapeake City and set up a shop as a small, independent brand with a different brokerage.
“I was proud of what I had launched in Chesapeake City, but I was ready to take things to another level,” says Amber. When Chris called her, she was already entertaining partnership offers from two well-established real estate companies.
“Talking to Chris, I realized I missed all of the good people and good systems in place at Patterson-Schwartz. He knew my style and history, and it wasn’t long before we were discussing a new opportunity to merge everything I had created on my own with the independent brokerage.” Summer 2022 will mark the one-year anniversary of Amber and the Durand Group’s return to Patterson-Schwartz.
2021 Ribbon cutting with Amber, her team, and members of the PSA family
Chris Cashman, Amber Durand, & Joe Pluscht
Patterson-Schwartz Chesapeake City Grand Opening Celebration August 2021 with Amber Durand
A thriving team
Amber Durand and her 15-member (and growing) office have a diverse background and serve Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. They are a close-knit group with core members who have been involved since the beginning. Amber met her colleague, Dale Jackson, in pre-licensing school; the two quickly connected and joined Patterson-Schwartz as new agents together. Alison Adams was a team member with the Durand Group at PSA Elkton, and became Amber’s first independent agent to be hired when she opened her brokerage in 2019. And as often happens in real estate, Jill Lively was a former client who became a friend; she came onboard to assist with marketing & administrative support in 2014 before pursuing her real estate license with Amber’s guidance.
Amber likes to regularly gather the office for fun things like happy hours and community events, but she remains focused on creating career development opportunities for the Chesapeake City agents through sales meetings and “lunch and learn” workshops. She describes her management style as very hands-on and is eager to give her team an edge when it comes to the local market.
“Running my office independently, I find myself invested more than ever in the training and development of my agents,” says Amber. “I truly enjoy teaching and I pull a lot from my own experience. I want new agents to benefit right away from the knowledge I had to gain over years and years in the industry.”
Patterson-Schwartz Chesapeake City decorated for Memorial Day 2022
Love where you live
Located off State Route 213 along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, Chesapeake City features many historic homes, shops, galleries, fine restaurants, bed & breakfasts, and boating amenities. And while it is within easy driving distance of several large cities, the charming town maintains a “miles-away” feel.
“I was instantly drawn to this little waterfront village and knew it would be an excellent place to grow my brand,” says Amber, who lives within walking distance to her office, serves on the Chamber of Commerce, and recently decided to run for town council. “There’s a lot of exciting development opportunities here along with a strong sense of community. Our office loves participating in local events like the Sip & Stroll, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the car show.”
Originally intended to be Amber’s personal residence, 327 Bohemia Avenue serves as her team’s home-base. The restored historic home, built in 1874, has an inviting front porch, first floor meeting and lounge areas, upstairs office space, and a detached garage that houses an inventory of lawn signage and a curated collection of home staging items.
It’s as special and unique a space as the town itself.
About Patterson-Schwartz
Patterson-Schwartz is proud to have Amber back as a member of the PSA family. We’ve been lighting the way home for over 60 years and are thrilled to expand our services in Cecil County with the help of Amber and her Chesapeake City team. We are Delaware’s largest independent real estate brokerage with ten offices and over 550 sales associates and staff. We offer a full range of services including residential home sales and rentals, relocation services, and property management. We invite you to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
In late February 2022, Danielle Ward and Linda McKinnon of Patterson-Schwartz Elkton donned their winter gear and headed out into the elements for a good cause. The air may have been cold, but hearts warmed at the sight of hundreds of individuals running into the frigid Northeast River to raise money for local youth programs.
Left to right: Top individual fundraiser Jake Schweible with Linda McKinnon, Alex Ward, and Danielle Ward.
A chilly but beautiful day filled with music, food, and fundraising
Photos from Ice Splash 2022 at Wellwood Yacht Club in Charlestown, Maryland.
The annual Cecil County Ice Splash fundraiser is just one of several events Danielle and Linda support as part of their work with the Special Olympics Cecil County (SOCE).
Fitness, Fun, Friendship
As the mother of a child with special needs, Danielle Ward has been active with Special Olympics as an athlete parent for several years. About a year ago, Danielle asked Linda to help with a SOCE fitness day at a local park.
That day about ten kids showed up, as they did every week, to play with hula hoops, take a walk around the park, and otherwise stay active on a chilly day. Linda was touched by the friendships the participants made, and the fun they shared.
Linda and Danielle have been making a difference together ever since.
“Working with Danielle for many years, I have had the pleasure to get to know her amazing family, including her son, Alex,” says Linda. “He is such a special young man, and the stories he tells will keep you laughing. Both of her children and her husband help organize the [Special Olympics] activities and treat every athlete as though they are their own family. It is a blast spending time with them and so fulfilling.”
Creating Opportunities to Grow
The mission of the Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and competition for individuals age eight and older with intellectual disabilities. They believe sports give these athletes continuing opportunities to grow mentally and socially through activities that help them improve physical fitness, gain self-confidence, and discover new abilities and talents.
Less than a year after first volunteering, Linda joined the SOCE management team alongside Danielle. Recently, the two friends have been working to increase volunteer and athlete activity.
“This once very active organization seemed to lose strength over the past few years,” Danielle says of Special Olympics Cecil County. “In 2021, we began to build it back up by sponsoring seasonal activities like basketball, softball, bocce ball, and health walks, and monthly activities like bowling. In the last month, we hosted a winter dance and sponsored an athlete at the regional competition in Florida. Watching these athletes have fun, compete, and make friends is such a joy. Alex loves being with his friends, no matter the event.”
Alex Ward posing at the 2022 SOCE Winter Dance (Cecil Whig photo by Carl Hamilton)
Jake Schweible with his Ice Splash 2022 award for Top Individual Fundraiser
Special Olympics Cecil County athletes
The Sons of the American Legion’s annual Cecil County Ice Splash raises money for local children and youth programs, including Special Olympics. Patterson-Schwartz was a proud sponsor of the 2022 event alongside Danielle and Linda. To learn how you can get involved in future efforts that benefit the Special Olympics of Cecil County, reach out to Linda or Danielle or click here for more information.
Together we can light the way to a better tomorrow
The PSA Foundation was created in 2001 and supports numerous local charities and organizations whose causes are close to the hearts of the Patterson-Schwartz family of sales associates, employees, and friends. We invite you to learn more about how Patterson-Schwartz is giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play, and to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
The Elkton Sales Center of Patterson-Schwartz is conveniently located along the Route 40 corridor. Established in 2008, this full-service office has a family of local experts proud to serve the real estate needs in Elkton and the surrounding communities of Cecil County, Maryland.
Like the year before, 2021 was anything but typical for the real estate world. Record-breaking home price appreciation, growing equity, low inventory, and reduced mortgage rates, paired with a very motivated buyer population, made for a super competitive and fast-paced housing market.
And in times marked by multiple offer situations and fierce listing competition (on top of pandemic concerns), a lot was demanded of our local real estate professionals. Agents had to be smart, highly attentive, and resourceful to keep up. And good agents found success without sacrificing care for their clients.
Well-deserved recognition
The Realty Alliance is a network of North America’s elite real estate firms, and each year they identify the leading residential sales professionals for their exceptional performance.
The Patterson-Schwartz agents and teams recognized for their efforts in 2021 make up the top 15% of our sales associates in the categories of Units and Total Dollar Volume. The qualifying amounts were 20 Units and/or Total Dollar Volume of $6,000,000.
The 2021 Realty Alliance sales awards are well-deserved, especially considering the year’s challenges. We are thrilled to congratulate the 75+ Patterson-Schwartz agents and teams for being recognized nationally for their outstanding efforts and accomplishments. These honorees epitomize our company’s dedication to providing superior guidance and service while offering exceptional knowledge of market conditions, and a commitment to represent clients honestly and professionally.
We are incredibly proud of their efforts during these exceptional times.
2021 Realty Alliance Award recipients, listed by sales office:
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® and offers a full range of services that include residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services, and property management. We invite you to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert. We’ve been guiding home buyers and sellers since 1961.
On December 1, 2021, Patterson-Schwartz family members from across the company came together to celebrate the holiday season as they have in years past: at a favorite local venue decorated with hints of the company’s signature brand, a Toys for Tots donation bin filled to overflowing, and laughter and good cheer ringing throughout the halls.
But this year’s celebration was an extra special one.
Not only was it the first company-wide gathering after a year-long hiatus due to safety concerns, but it also took place sixty years to the day the company was founded.
There is so much of which to be proud, grateful, and optimistic about as we look back on the year leading up to this significant milestone.
Patterson-Schwartz 60th Anniversary ice sculpture, photo by David Heitur
Exceptional times, exceptional service
In 2021, we were honored to serve the residential real estate needs of approximately 4,593 individuals and families, transferring ownership of properties valued over $1.6 Billion in total. During a year that fluctuated between feeling close to normal and far from it, our team worked diligently to meet every challenge and deliver exceptional service. We are grateful for our amazing agents for going above and beyond, a dynamic leadership team at the helm, and a dedicated support staff who keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.
At the heart of Patterson-Schwartz is an engaging company culture of support that translates into caring about each other and the causes close to the hearts of our colleagues and friends. Now in its 20th year, the Patterson-Schwartz Foundation has generated over $1,360,000 in donations to local organizations since its inception.
But as the last year proves, we don’t just give back, we show up.
The Patterson-Schwartz Successful Start and agent education programs continue to evolve, and we are thrilled with the results of our efforts to provide valuable business-building resources for both new and seasoned agents. Over the past year we launched a refreshed training program for new agents, introduced new tools and technology, and hosted coaching workshops, team meetings, and celebrations, both in-person and online.
Today Patterson-Schwartz is home to a sales team and corporate staff of over 550 strong and ten locations that stretch from Brandywine Hundred, into Eastern Maryland, and down to the Delaware Beaches.
Our Successful Start 100 Days to Greatness program begins a new session in late January 2022, and has more than twenty participants enrolled. Plans are in motion to launch new and improve existing business and marketing tools for our sales associates. And, as always, we are hard at work creating fresh ways to reach buyers and sellers.
Whatever the future brings, Patterson-Schwartz remains committed to serving our customers, the local industry, and the communities we call home with the integrity and passion for adding value established by our founders.
Cheers to sixty years and the bright future ahead!
About Us
Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate is Delaware’s largest independent REALTOR® and offers a full range of services that include residential home sales, purchase and rental, relocation services, and property management. We invite you to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert. We’ve been guiding home buyers and sellers since 1961.
Q&A with Dave Iliff, Habitat volunteer coordinator for PSA since 2007
In late September 2021, a group of Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate sales associates took a break from selling homes to help build them. It wasn’t the first time members of the Patterson-Schwartz family put on their hard hats and tool belts for Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County, but it was a notable one. This most recent volunteer effort marked the first on-site Build Day since the pandemic restrictions set in early 2020 were lifted.
September 2021 PSA Build Day Volunteers from left to right: Logan Kidwwell, Mary Corcoran, Ketia Dukes, Jeff Whitaker, Nick Rybinski, Sonny Reeves, Dave Iliff, Karen Burke, and Vicki Feeney.
No one could be more proud to be back building homes than Dave Iliff. This Patterson-Schwartz Hockessin sales associate has been coordinating our local volunteer efforts for Habitat for Humanity since 2007.
Hey Dave, how did Patterson-Schwartz get involved with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County?
I remember PSA got involved in a one-time Habitat for Humanity Build Day, and I think a year or so may have passed, but I still vividly recalled the joy I felt volunteering that day. I thought it would be a great thing for us to become more involved on a regular basis.
I have organized about 20 volunteer efforts over the years. And, even though we don’t do it for the recognition, I was proud to accept the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Partnership through Volunteerism on behalf of Patterson-Schwartz in 2019.
Who benefits from the services that Habitat provides?
Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County builds affordable, well-constructed homes and provides interest-free loans. The homeowners-to-be, who are often trying to overcome hardships, are provided with financial education and required to work on the sites and help with the fundraising events. There is a great sense of achievement in the work they must do to qualify, and lives truly change with the help of Habitat.
I remember attending the groundbreaking and dedication ceremony of a site at Walnut Ridge in 2015. It was raining, and a young single mom who was to be one of the new homeowners gave an emotional speech at the podium. She spoke about where she had been in her life and how grateful she was to have her own home and a fresh start for her family.I will never forget that day and how she spoke from the heart. I think everyone present had tears in their eyes. I was grateful to be there for it.
What is the job of a Habitat volunteer?
As a volunteer on Build Days, you don’t necessarily need to have any skills in building. There is always something for everyone to do, and Habitat for Humanity provides all of the tools necessary for each build phase.You can even learn some new skills while on the job!
It’s not all about building. We have also volunteered with a Habitat for Humanity program known as “A Brush with Kindness,” which helps communities restore their homes and common areas. The jobs associated include anything from painting and landscaping to repairing screen doors, weather sealing homes, and more.
Why is it good to volunteer on Build Days?
In addition to helping the local community and contributing to a worthy cause, volunteering is fun! You really get to know your colleagues and fellow build mates. This last group consisted of a lot of newer PSA faces from across the company as well as some repeat volunteers. The work really appeals to everyone, and we had a great day making memories.
I have seen real passion and dedication in the people who fulfill the Habitat mission, and they are a great organization with which to partner. Whatever the job, our volunteers come away from the experience feeling inspired and proud of the work they’ve accomplished.
2013 Brush with Kindness
2015 Build Day- warehouse visit
2016 Build Day
2017 Build Day
Dave Iliff with Kevin Smith of Habitat
2018 “Womens Build Day”
Together we can light the way to a better tomorrow
The PSA Foundation was created in 2001 and supports numerous local charities and organizations whose causes are close to the hearts of the Patterson-Schwartz family of sales associates, employees, and friends. We invite you to learn more about how Patterson-Schwartz is giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play, and to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
As a long-term care facility for disabled adults, The Mary Campbell Center strives to be a place where a resident’s independence is enhanced, family members are always welcome, and comfort and safety are paramount. The Mary Campbell Center is as unique and special to the local area as it is to those who benefit from its homelike environment. And for two members of the Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate family, the facility and its mission are especially close to heart and home.
Filling a need
Since the mid-1980s, Steve Crifasi of Patterson-Schwartz Greenville has been a member of the committee that organizes The Center’s largest annual fundraiser, The Charmie Welch Golf Tournament. For Steve, who is now co-chairman of this fundraising effort, his involvement is a family affair with roots in friendship.
Charmie Welch Golf Tournament c. 1987
Steve Crifasi and his son, Steve, Jr., at the 2018 PSA Guest Bartender event to benefit The Mary Campbell Center
Charmie Welch, the golf tournament’s namesake, was a little girl when she developed a life-altering disability. When her medical needs became too difficult to manage at home, her parents were dismayed to learn the only care options were nursing homes. Their struggle to find the perfect place for their daughter inspired the creation of The Mary Campbell Center.
In addition to Charmie’s parents, seven founders came together to bring The Center to life in north Wilmington in 1976. Bill Davis, a dear friend of the Welch family and Steve Crifasi’s father-in-law, was on the original golf committee in 1981. With his help, The Mary Campbell Center has grown every year due to the tournament’s success.
“My father-in-law inspired my involvement, and the tradition continues with his son, Bill Davis Jr., me, and my son, Steve Jr.,” says Steve.
“The Mary Campbell Center truly is a phenomenal facility that helps many individuals and families, but its needs are constantly evolving. I am proud of all of our fundraising efforts and grateful for the unwavering support we’ve had from sponsors like Patterson-Schwartz. Over the years we have been able to help The Center reach many goals, including the construction of an indoor wheelchair-accessible pool.”
Surrounded by support
Another member of the PSA family personally connected to The Mary Campbell Center is Hockessin sales manager, Sal Sedita. Sal’s daughter, Sarah, has been a resident at The Center for over 15 years.
“Every parent worries about who will take care of their child if they are gone or unable to do so,” says Sal. “This becomes a much more ‘real’ situation when you have a son or daughter who will need full-time care for their entire life.”
When Sarah completed school at age 21, Sal and his wife looked at multiple options where Sarah could live as an adult, but nothing felt right. Sarah had received respite care at The Mary Campbell Center before and the exceptional experience gave the whole family good feelings. Expecting to be on a waitlist of a year or longer, they consider themselves very fortunate that The Center had an opening for Sarah almost immediately.
“I compare The Center to a fraternity or sorority: a big home where she is surrounded by friends and people who care for her, care about her, and love her for her,” says Sal.
from left to right: Tom Shea, Director of External Affairs Mary Campbell Center, Juli Giles of Patterson-Schwartz, and Sal Sedita at the 2018 Guest Bartender Fundraiser at BBC Tavern & Grill in Greenville
“Every day, I am thankful for The Center, and the peace of mind it gives us knowing she is so safe and so happy. To have such a special facility so close to home where we can visit anytime is one of my biggest blessings in a very blessed life.”
Teeing it up to give back
Throughout the years, members of the PSA family have gathered in support of Sal, Steve, and The Mary Campbell Center. The Center has been a frequent beneficiary of the Hockessin office’s annual soup fundraiser and the recipient of all the proceeds raised at the 2018 PSA Guest Bartender event. Corporately, Patterson-Schwartz has donated holiday trees and lunches to the facility and returns year after year as a sponsor of the Charmie Welch Golf Tournament.
On September 13, 2021, the Charmie Welch Golf Tournament will be celebrating its 40th year. Like past years, Steve and Sal will team up in support not only as sponsors and colleagues but also as friends hitting the links for a good cause: they have been playing the tournament together as part of the PSA foursome for as long as either can remember.
The Patterson-Schwartz foursome at the 2015 Charmie Welch Golf Tournament at DuPont Country Club. From Left to Right: Joe Pluscht, Jr., Steve Crifasi, Sal Sedita, and Jason Giles.
To learn more about this year’s tournament (which includes a drone golf ball drop raffle open to the public) and how you can support The Mary Campbell Center mission, please click here.
Together we can light the way to a better tomorrow
The PSA Foundation was created in 2001 and supports numerous local charities and organizations whose causes are close to the hearts of the Patterson-Schwartz family of sales associates, employees, and friends. We invite you to learn more about how Patterson-Schwartz is giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play, and to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.
Home-cooked lasagna is considered by many to be the ultimate comfort food with its melted cheese, satisfying dose of pasta, and its ability to bring people together around a table.
At the beginning of the Pandemic, Rhiannon Menn of San Diego, California, was looking to help families in her community who were struggling. She started by baking and delivering seven trays of lasagna around her neighborhood. One year later, her Lasagna Love concept is now a national movement, with over 20,000 people cooking and delivering meals in their communities.
The PSA Foundation is proud to spotlight the local chapter of Lasagna Love and its efforts to strengthen our community one tray of homemade goodness at a time.
Cooking up kindness locally
Andrea Carbaugh of the Patterson-Schwartz Newark Office is a local volunteer for Lasagna Love. She recently shared with the PSA Foundation her experience with this grassroots organization gaining ground in Delaware.
“As the saying goes, we are all in the same storm, but not all in the same boat,” says Andrea. “When I was a teacher, I saw the effects of food insecurity on young children on a daily basis. And, as a busy real estate agent working long days, I know the struggle to get dinner on the table some nights! I love to cook, so last summer, when a random Facebook ad for Lasagna Love appeared on my feed, I jumped at the opportunity.”
She has been volunteering to make lasagnas for deserving recipients ever since.
Andrea Carbaugh of the Patterson-Schwartz Newark Office became a Lasagna Love chef in summer 2020
From one neighbor to another, with love
A Lasagna Love chef’s mission is to help address the incredible rise in food insecurity among families and individuals, and to provide a simple act of care during times of uncertainty and stress. To Andrea, being “matched” to cook for a family in her area seemed a simple way to show kindness, especially when she felt the daily news was full of nothing but negativity.
“The recipients have all seemed genuinely touched – their gratitude coming through in thankful texts. One family was in my own neighborhood – an eye-opening and humbling experience, to say the least. You absolutely never know who may be struggling.”
Delivery through Lasagna Love is contactless, keeping everyone safe and, in some cases, preserving the dignity of the recipient. Families may apply every 30 days, with volunteers who match frequency and distance parameters.
Andrea says she keeps herself prepared and organized by setting up an assembly line and making three lasagnas at a time.
“I make one for the recipient, one for the freezer in case I get a match when I have five buyers tours, and one for our dinner that night. There is support at all levels – even ‘Chef’ Facebook pages where everyone shares tips, recipes, and even sources for ingredients on sale!”
From prep to delivery, each batch of lasagna from Andrea’s kitchen is made with love
Lasagna Love in Delaware
In Delaware, there are over 120 Lasagna Chefs who await their meal assignments every week. On average, there are close to 65 weekly meal deliveries, with that number growing all of the time.
Their services have reached everyone from struggling or grieving families and those recovering from illness to over-worked frontline workers and sleep-deprived new parents. Most recently, the Delaware chapter provided 20 lasagnas to the nurses and staff who run unit 4A of BayHealth Hospital in Dover, a unit that is solely working with Covid patients.
Do you love to cook or know someone who would benefit from a homemade meal delivery? Click here to learn more about Lasagna Love and the many ways you can get involved. Monetary donations like the one from the PSA Foundation go towards the mission’s operations or volunteer chefs to reimburse them for their groceries.
Together we can light the way to a better tomorrow
The PSA Foundation was created in 2001 and supports numerous local charities and organizations whose causes are close to the hearts of the Patterson-Schwartz family of sales associates, employees, and friends. We invite you to learn more about how Patterson-Schwartz is giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play, and to connect with us when you’re ready to partner with a local real estate expert.