Bringing people together to do good is local Realtor Rachel Xavier’s superpower

Rachel Xavier, the founder of The Xavier Group, meets new people all the time.

Some years ago, she met Jennifer Kelley, executive director of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction. The two play tennis in a league together. Kelley told Xavier about the auction and its mission, and Xavier and The Xavier Group joined the sponsorship team as a Sponsor of the Day — like she was simply returning a serve.

Xavier wasted no time drawing together the people she interacts with to fundraise — other parents and colleagues in Meredith, where she runs The Xavier Group at the Keller Williams Coastal and Lakes & Mountains office.

Bringing people together to do good is her superpower.

Each year, Xavier holds fundraisers and charitable events — from a haunted Halloween walk in Center Harbor to free Thanksgiving dinners at the school in Meredith. For over four years in a row, she and the three-person Xavier Group have also supported the auction with a $5,000 sponsorship, fundraised roughly another $5,000 each year and helped staff the phones during auction week.

“I’m a parent. I’m a local resident, and I want to give back to the community,” she says. “I love where we live. I love how our community comes together and helps each other all the time.”

Recently, Xavier was selected as the New Hampshire Association of Realtors 2023 Good Neighbor Award recipient for her volunteer efforts with the auction; as a result, NHAR has donated $5,000 in Xavier’s name to the nonprofit.

Xavier holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Plymouth State University and has 15 years’ experience as a Realtor and is a multimillion-dollar producer, consistently in the top 5% of sales in the region. She formed The Xavier Group over five years ago, and her team sells real estate with a primary focus in the Lakes Region and the White Mountains.

“It’s hard work. It’s a 24-hour-a-day job,” she says, noting her activism in the community helps her break up the pace and also reflect on her roots in the community.

Xavier raised $10,000 at an event at Surfside Burger Bar for the Friends of Meredith Parks and Rec that went toward the skate park. She raised $5,000 for the New Hampshire Humane Society and, at Twin Barns Brewery last year, she raised $25,000 so a local veterans group can acquire two service dogs. The Xavier Group has also donated to Swim with a Mission, and recently held an event at Wolfsburg Farm in Holderness, raising $10,000 for Swim with a Mission, Operation Delta Dog and Hero Pups.

Frequently, Xavier calls upon her colleagues in business in the area for support in raising money. Businesses offer services, gift cards and other donations.

“We’re friends with everyone in the community,” she says. “We frequent these businesses. They love being a part of our adventures and raising money for the community. They love being a part of community events. They also want to give back, and it’s a good way to collaborate.”

When she’s not helping clients buy and sell, Xavier enjoys snowboarding at Loon and Gunstock mountains, playing tennis in a women's league at Gilford Hills Tennis & Fitness Club, and boating and hiking in the summer.

She lives in Center Harbor with her husband, son and three dogs.

There was a time when she was a single mom with $200 in her bank account. “I was struggling. I had three jobs, but even with three jobs I couldn’t make ends meet,” she says.

“I like to support the auction because, when I think back, I realize I could have used a little support,” she adds. “I like that the auction distributes the money to various nonprofits. I don’t want to know who needs it or why, but I love to be able to contribute and know that it will get where it needs to go.”

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The Sunshine Effect is a new series in The Laconia Daily Sun highlighting the people and organizations working to improve our communities through volunteering and fundraising. We believe that telling their stories will encourage others to support their work, and launch new charitable efforts of their own. Have a suggestion for someone making a difference we should feature? Share it with us at laconiadailysun.com/sunshineeffecttip.