Kellie Rastegar gives back to Austin community

“Giving is living,” says Kellie Rastegar, co-founder of Rastegar Property Company and wife of CEO Ari Rastegar. These words, which Kellie speaks often, drive the philanthropic soul of the Rastegar brand. This Austin-based private real estate firm treats social responsibility as a central pillar of its mission. Kellie leads the Rastegar team in diverse projects to develop and enrich the communities to which the Rastegar family owes so much.

Kellie envisions community service as being as integral to Rastegar as real estate investment. “Many companies do it for the optics, as an afterthought,” she says. “We want our social responsibility to be as near to our core identity as anything else.” 2To achieve Kellie’s vision, Rastegar Property Company provides financial support and monthly volunteering to a wide variety of organizations in Austin, Dallas, and elsewhere.

The Maharisi Foundation
The Maharishi Foundation is a non-profit organization that leads research and development of transcendental meditation. This unique practice of self-transcending meditation has “strong effects in reducing anxiety, negative emotions, trait anxiety and neuroticism while aiding learning, memory and self-realization.” (Huffington Post) The Foundation works to spread the practice of transcendental meditation, especially among those afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kellie, Ari, and other Rastegar team members are avid practitioners of transcendental meditation. They find its ability to refocus and restore the mind indispensable to Rastegar’s success. “It only takes fifteen or twenty minutes each day,” says Kellie. “I sit with my eyes closed and repeat my personal mantra in my head. If I feel a thought developing, I go back to the mantra. I can feel my stress melt away. We want to spread awareness of this incredible tool.”

FC Westlake
FC Westlake is a community soccer club for children in Austin. The club serves all school levels in and around the West Lake Hills neighborhood. It features developmental programs for younger players, competitive circuits for more advanced players, and even a college preparatory program. FC Westlake’s mission is to instill teamwork, fitness, and sportsmanship into Austin’s youth.

Neither Kellie nor Ari had opportunities in their youth like those offered by FC Westlake. The club’s mission resonates deeply with them. “I don’t think any of our partnerships is more important than FC Westlake,” says Kellie. “Teaching kids how to work together, play fair, and compete in a healthy way is incredibly valuable to our community. Rastegar is so proud to support this club.”

The Ocean Cleanup Project
The Ocean Cleanup Project seeks to eliminate 90 percent of ocean plastic pollution. The project uses advanced technology and innovative engineering to collect and eliminate current ocean waste. Its riverine systems can also intercept plastic before it ever reaches the ocean. Plastic pollution in the oceans negatively affects over 600 marine species and costs the tourism and fishery industries $19 billion each year.

The Rastegar team believes in a strong commitment to environmental consciousness and best practices in conservation. In addition to contributions to the Ocean Cleanup Project, Rastegar also volunteers for local cleanup efforts. “Everything worthwhile starts with our communities, cities, and planet being clean and healthy places to live,” says Kellie. “We’re not shy about sharing our success or getting our hands dirty to make that happen.”

Rastegar is working tirelessly to add and expand its community partnerships. “I’m so happy with what we’ve accomplished so far,” says Kellie. “Our team has been spectacular in supporting our vision to make Rastegar inseparable from community service and social responsibility. I’m really excited to see what comes next!”