Walters' community pursuits.

The New Jersey Shore Builders Association Inc. has chosen the Waiters Group, a rapidly growing builder in southern New Jersey, to be the recipient of its third annual Community Service Award.

The award is presented to one member company who has performed outstanding charitable deeds during the past year. The real estate organization was presented with the award at the New Jersey Shore Builders Association general membership meeting.

"The Shore Builders' Community Service Award honors members that have gone above and beyond with their community service initiatives," said NJSBA president Tom Critelli. "I am happy to present this year's award to the Waiter's Group, a company that has demonstrated a heightened commitment to helping others through its various community service programs."

The Walters Group's corporate mission to give back to the communities in which it is active has guided it towards numerous philanthropic efforts during the past year. For example, recently employees worked together to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina by raising a total of $2,464 to support the American Red Cross Relief Fund. The money was collected in a company-wide fundraiser, which was then matched by the Waiters Group organization.

In addition, Walters helped a family of three from Mississippi who fled the wrath of the Hurricane, arriving in Southern Ocean county in need of housing. Waiters made arrangements to have the family move into their apartment development, Atlantic Heights Apartments, in Barnegat, N.J. The storm victims were offered a two-bedroom apartment with three months of free rent and all security deposit fees waived.

In addition to its humanitarian efforts, the Waiters Group and its staff have contributed building materials and a helping hand in a local revitalization effort for Habitat for Humanity; donated bicycles valued at $1,200 to the local Police Department for summer bike patrols; participated in fund-raising events, including a blood drive in Monmouth and Ocean counties; and joined the American Cancer Society's recent Relay for Life Walk-A-Thon, raising more than $3,500.