Support for Meritus College Fund Provides Scholarships for Local YouthSan Francisco, Calif. – July 23, 2007 – Zephyr Real Estate is investing in the future and keeping the dream alive for Bay Area young people. For the past decade, the largest independent real-estate firm in San Francisco has contributed support and donations to the Meritus College Fund, a grassroots nonprofit organization that annually awards four-year college scholarships to deserving San Francisco teenagers. This year, donors like Zephyr were extremely generous and Meritus was able to offer 43 college scholarships, the highest number ever awarded. In 2006, 30 scholarships were granted.“Many local young people want to continue their education and have ambitions for a better life after high school,” said Bill Drypolcher, Zephyr founder and president, and Meritus board member. “They make good grades that would get them accepted into a college but have no way to pay for the education. At Zephyr we are committed to giving back in meaningful ways to the community. We became involved with Meritus to help bridge this educational gap and offer much-needed funding for Bay Area high-school graduates to attend college.”Founded in 1996 by Dr. Henry Safrit and his wife Karin, the Meritus College Fund provides four-year college scholarships and student support services to San Francisco public-high-school-graduating seniors who hold a B-level grade average or higher. Students receive $12,000 over the four-year period and are required to show progress over time.Every donation to Meritus is 100-percent committed to providing student scholarships. Since it began, Meritus College Fund has raised more than $2 million and helped nearly 200 student scholars attend the college of their choice.Zephyr Real Estate, its managers and agents continue the company tradition of sponsoring Bay Area students through Meritus. Because of the contributions, these students receive fully funded opportunities to attend schools like University of California at Davis, Sonoma State University, San Francisco State University and University of California at Santa Cruz, among others. Grateful for the chance to pursue an advanced education, the students keep in touch throughout their college years and beyond.“The year would not be successful without the help of my friends; I would not survive in UC Davis without their support,” wrote one of the students sponsored by Zephyr. “Most importantly, I would like to thank the Meritus College Fund for guiding me to future success, and Zephyr for their support.”For more information about the Meritus College Fund, visit www.meritusfund.org.Zephyr Real EstateFounded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s largest independent real-estate firm with nearly $1.5 billion in annual gross sales in 2006 and a current roster of more than 250 full-time agents. Zephyr has seven offices strategically located in San Francisco and serves a large customer base throughout the city. For more information, visit www.zephyrsf.com.