BHHS New England agent honored by new SmartMLS Cares program

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties agent Anthony Capalbo and his family were named the first recipients of SmartMLS Cares, a new charitable program tied to the memory of their son, Charlie. The initiative will direct support to the Capalbo Strong Walk and other community causes, with the next walk set for Oct. 4 in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Why it matters: - SmartMLS Cares turns Charlie Capalbo’s story into a new recurring charitable program that will support community causes each year. - The first donation will help fund the Bank of America Capalbo Strong Walk, which supports pediatric cancer research and resources. - The recognition extends the Capalbo family’s fundraising reach beyond Fairfield and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

What happened: - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties announced that agent Anthony Capalbo and his family are the inaugural recipients of SmartMLS Cares. - SmartMLS launched the charitable giving program through its Board of Directors. - SmartMLS created the program after being influenced by Charlie Capalbo’s story and its impact on the community. - The family will receive a donation tied to the Bank of America Capalbo Strong Walk.

The details: - SmartMLS is Connecticut’s primary multiple listing service. - The platform connects more than 20,000 real estate agents, brokers and appraisers with real-time property listings, market data and public records. - SmartMLS Cares will support 10 members each year with donations toward the community causes and charitable efforts they choose. - Anthony Capalbo is a longtime SmartMLS subscriber. - Capalbo Strong is a 501(c)(3) organization led by Anthony Capalbo and his wife, Jenny. - The organization was founded in 2017 by Fairfield Prep hockey moms during Charlie Capalbo’s first battle with cancer. - Charlie Capalbo of Fairfield died in April 2022, one month before his 24th birthday, after a five-year battle with cancer. - Charlie Capalbo beat cancer three times and faced both non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia. - Charlie Capalbo was a standout hockey goalie. - Charlie’s brother, Will, has also helped carry the family’s legacy forward. - Capalbo Strong’s annual walk previously took place in Boston as part of the Jimmy Fund Walk. - The walk raised funds for the family’s Charlie Capalbo Memorial Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. - Capalbo Strong has now been officially approved for nonprofit status. - That status will allow the group to expand beyond Dana-Farber and award grants to local hospitals, programs and organizations that supported the family. - Donations from SmartMLS Cares will help sustain that work. - The Bank of America Capalbo Strong Walk moves this year from Boston to Jennings Beach in Fairfield on Oct. 4. - The route is a 24K, 15-mile looped course. - Participants can join for one five-mile lap or complete the full distance. - BHHS New England Properties is encouraging agents, colleagues and clients to register or contribute. - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England/New York/Hudson Valley Properties has more than 2,200 REALTORS® across Connecticut, Rhode Island, Manhattan, Westchester County and Hudson Valley.

Between the lines: - The SmartMLS program appears designed to turn individual community stories into formal, repeatable philanthropy. - Moving the walk to Fairfield makes the event more accessible to local supporters who could not travel to Boston. - The family’s nonprofit milestone suggests the effort is shifting from one-off fundraising toward a broader grantmaking model.

What's next: - The Bank of America Capalbo Strong Walk is scheduled for Oct. 4 at Jennings Beach in Fairfield. - SmartMLS Cares is expected to continue selecting 10 members each year for charitable donations. - Capalbo Strong plans to use its expanded nonprofit status to support more local organizations going forward. - Supporters can register or contribute through the walk registration page.

The bottom line: - SmartMLS has tied a new annual giving program to a family story that already reshaped local fundraising, and the first beneficiary is now helping power that work further.