By John Hayden

South Florida’s housing market is on fire. 

Demand is outpacing supply, and sellers are getting more out of their home than they could have dreamed as recently as a couple of years ago. One realtor, Cary J. Giacalone, sees this booming housing market as an opportunity to give back to South Florida, especially its vibrant LGBTQA+ community.

“I have always believed that one cannot consider themselves successful if they are not willing to contribute to the needs of the community,” Giacalone told OutClique. “These are not just words but a way of life for me. Currently, time is limited, and I cannot volunteer as much as I have in the past, so I needed a way to give back. And now more than ever, giving back is vital to our communities.” 

To make an impact, he donates part of his commission from each real estate transaction to a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. 

“When you buy or sell a home with me as your partner, I will donate in my client’s name five percent of my personal net commission to the charity of their choice,” Giacalone said. “If the organization is located in South Florida and related to the LGBTQA+ community, the arts, or animals, I increase the donation to 10 percent , and 12 percent when designated to SunServe, The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, Island City Stage, or United Church of Christ.

Organizations that have benefited from this program include SunServe, Island City Stage, Wags & Walks, South Florida Symphony, Florida AIDS Walk and The Trevor Project.

Giacalone came out in the mid-1980s when he was married and raising children in New York. Despite the difficulties it would cause, he knew he had to live authentically. 

“It was the height of the AIDS crisis,” he said. “I was in a quandary, wanting to understand all I could about how to guide myself through what was happening to the community and find my way in a world that was new to me. I decided to jump right into my new life by volunteering in an LGBTQA+ environment. The only thing that made sense was something related to the crisis.” 

Giacalone’s propensity to give back started with being an original volunteer for the Long Island AIDS Project, which eventually became the Long Island Association for AIDS Care, working both the hotline and as a buddy to those living with HIV/AIDS. He was on the board and part of the first Long Island LGBTQ+ Chorus, ran groups for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York and was a peer counselor at Identity House in New York.

In 2012 he joined the TriVersity Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity in Milford, PA, as Secretary/Treasurer & Chair of the Planning Committee. In 2015 he was elected Executive Director/President of its Board of Directors. He facilitated TriVersity’s P3 Youth Group, Parents Group, HIV Support Gathering, Transgender Support Group and Spouse/Partners of Transgender Individuals Gathering. He planned and executed events, including the Share Your Heart Dance, which benefited a local food pantry; The Prom, an LGBTQ/Ally event for all ages; a Pride Weekend and more. He received an award for Outstanding Volunteer in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as local awards for his contributions to the community.

Since moving to the Fort Lauderdale area with his husband, Kris Jarmann, in July of 2017, Giacalone has volunteered feeding the homeless at the United Church of Christ and gathering clothes and hygiene items for them; at Broward House in connection with their Dining Out for Life program; and as a member of the  Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, and along with his husband has run and volunteered for various chorus events.

Giacalone had a distinguished career in banking with The Bank of New York and JPMorgan Chase, where he held varied roles including public relations, sales management of over 250 branches and overall management of 50-plus branches. He began his realtor career with Grayrider Realty in New York, then worked with Century 21 in Pennsylvania, where he was designated a CENTURY 21 Fine Homes & Estates® Associate Realtor. In 2019, he was honored to join Galleria International Realty of Fort Lauderdale, a prestigious company with an impeccable reputation, as a Realtor Associate.

“By partnering with me as your realtor, you will receive superb professional, honest, and friendly service and at the same time you can benefit a charity that touches your heart. The choice is clear. What organization would you like to benefit through your real estate transaction?”