By Chris Chmura, American Red Cross volunteer

The Coronavirus Era has challenged us all with our daily lives. But one thing that is certain is that we are learning to adapt with new habits and fresh ideas.

Melissa Utterback is one of those people. She is a successful realtor for the Danberry Co. in Western Ohio. For more than 40 years, Danberry Realtors has been one of the most successful residential real estate brokerages in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Melissa has been in the real estate business for 20 years, 13 at the Danberry Co. Melissa loves that her personal and professional passions for helping others, supporting her local community and providing her customers with an incredible home buying experience are all possible as a Danberry realtor. 

Recently, Melissa successfully sold a property for Rachel Hepner-Zawodny, executive director of the American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio. They were wrapping up the paperwork when Melissa asked Rachel a question. “Which charity would you like to donate a $100 from the Heart of the Home program?” Rachel selected her local American Red Cross. Melissa has donated blood in the past. But this was one extra way for her to give back.

At every closing, her client can select from one of four charities to which she will contribute $100 of her own money.

Melissa’s new Heart of the Home program is inspired by the important role of charities in her local community. At every closing, her client can select from one of four charities to which she will contribute $100 of her own money. She wants her company to be simple to understand, offer a fun element to the home buying process and hopes to “inspire her customers to continue to support their charity of choice.”

Melissa has been giving back for years through Danberry’s charities (for details on the company’s charitable efforts, visit https://www.danberry.com/danberry-charities). Melissa’s company’s culture is based on charity for community. She came up with the creative idea of Heart of the Home to help her community even more in these tough times.

The Heart of the Home program is based on the premise of authentic connections to customers, friends and peers. She has discovered that this new idea has resulted in being very fulfilling personally and gratifying for customers. 

We thank Melissa for creating the Heart of the Home program designed to support her local community, putting in the hard work to build this fun charity perk for her customers and helping the American Red Cross. 

Melissa is in the process of building her social media platforms for Heart of the Home and can be reached at https://www.facebook.com/melissautterbackdanberry or by calling (419) 787-8311.

Are you interested in following Melissa’s generous lead and donating to the American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio Chapter? If you would like to donate or volunteer to help those in need or take a lifesaving class, visit https://www.redcross.org/local/ohio/northern-ohio/about-us/locations/northwest-ohio.html.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer