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Building Hope through Homes—Meet Erin!

February 28, 2023
Latoya, mama bear to Mason, and Erin O'Brien at Mason's 2019 playset build.
Latoya, mama bear to Mason, and Erin O’Brien at Mason’s 2019 playset build.

For more than ten years, Erin O’Brien has been selling homes in Hampton Roads, but in 2023, she discovered a way to love and help even more people. She came across the Roc Solid Foundation in 2017, and after falling in love with the mission to love and serve families fighting pediatric cancer, she jumped in to sponsor her own string of projects ever since. Through her realty career, she was able to sponsor several playsets for kiddos fighting cancer all around the United States. 

Erin leads a build for a kiddo fighting cancer in 2018.
Erin leads a build for a kiddo fighting cancer in 2018.

“I am grateful for all of the good fortunes my life and my hard work have brought… but not everyone is as fortunate. When something like cancer strikes a person, let alone a child, they and their family need to know that there are people supporting them and cheering for them in their battle,” Erin shared. 

Getting Rooted at Roc Solid

One of Erin’s first projects was for a kiddo who was diagnosed with cancer in utero—Mason. She had the opportunity to build a playset for him and his family when he was only three months old. After the build, she had a powerful moment with the boy’s mama bear, Latoya, and Erin realized the true impact she had become a part of. 

Erin and Layota share a sweet moment at Mason's playset build.
Erin and Layota share a sweet moment at Mason’s playset build.

She recalls the encounter, saying, “She gave me the tightest (and possibly the longest hug) I have ever received. It was in that moment that I realized, it isn’t just about the child with cancer. It is about their parents, their siblings… all of their family.”

Giving Back—1 for 1

Ready Bags are hand-packed and hand-delivered to families the day they are diagnosed with pediatric cancer.
Ready Bags are hand-packed and hand-delivered to families the day they are diagnosed with pediatric cancer.

In 2022, Erin began to fund a Ready Bag for a family fighting cancer for every closing she completed. She explains, “For every transaction that I close this year, I am sponsoring a Ready Bag in the name of those buyers or sellers. After closing, I send them a video saying that I am grateful they trusted me during the process and I am sponsoring a Ready Bag in their name. I also take the opportunity to share Roc Solid’s mission.”

Erin says her clients are thrilled to discover that their partnership with her also resulted in a partnership with Roc Solid Foundation to bring hope to a family going through the unimaginable—a cancer diagnosis for their child.

One Family at a Time

Erin says her goal is to fund Ready Bags for fifty families who will be diagnosed with pediatric cancer in 2023. “I would love to be a part of fifty Ready Bags being sponsored this year. To be able to touch fifty families fighting cancer, in addition to the families that I am helping buy and sell homes, would be pretty amazing.”

Erin helps lead a playset build for a kiddo fighting cancer in 2020.
Erin helps lead a playset build for a kiddo fighting cancer in 2020.

“Supporting Roc Solid gives us the opportunity to love on others at the time when they need it most. And even if we don’t know each other, they can feel the love and support to help get them through that time,” Erin testifies. 


You can reach Erin at erinobrienrealtor@yahoo.com and follow her on Instagram at @erinobrienrealtor.

Inspired by Erin? You can make an impact too!

Want to start impacting families fighting pediatric cancer through Roc Solid Foundation? Email us! There are so many ways to get involved no matter how you are able to help—the possibilities are endless! 

Reach out at info@rocsolidfoundation.org and let’s start building hope together.