Hanson Builders
Hanson Builders breaking ground on the 2025 St. Jude Dream Home Showplace in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
In Maple Grove, Minnesota, Hanson Builders has broken ground on the state’s first-ever St. Jude Dream Home Showplace. Reflecting Hanson Builders’ deep commitment to community service and supporting children battling life-threatening illnesses, the new $1.5 to $2 million home will be built entirely for the benefit of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“At Hanson Builders, we believe in building more than just homes; we believe in building communities,” says Luke Hanson, vice president of strategy. “This project allows us to give back in a meaningful way, supporting St. Jude’s critical mission to ensure that no child is denied treatment because of their family’s financial situation.”
With construction now underway and set for completion in September 2025, the Showplace will be open to the public during the area’s fall 2025 Parade of Homes. The project will raise significant funds for St. Jude’s lifesaving mission through the eventual sale of the home.
As another giving season has arrived, businesses and individuals can support nonprofits who are doing good year-round by lending their time, skills, or dollars. Whether you’re looking to give a donation or your time, here are five additional nonprofits to consider.
Operation Homefront
Through GivingTuesday, donations to Operation Homefront are being matched up to $50,000. That’s money going toward military families for transitional and permanent housing, urgent needs, and family support services to prevent long-term struggles.
Currently, the national nonprofit’s 15th annual Holiday Meals for Military program is underway. With a goal of putting meals on the tables of military families across the country by Christmas, the program provides grocery items needed to prepare a traditional holiday meal. “For many Americans, the end-of-the-year holidays are about sharing time with loved ones, but we cannot forget many of our nation’s military families are serving far from their friends and family,” said retired Brig. Gen. John I. Pray Jr., CEO of Operation Homefront, in 2022.
“Sadly, many military families face additional financial hardships that make this time of year particularly stressful. The good news is, with the enthusiastic support of our many caring individuals, corporate and foundation donors, and thousands of amazing volunteers, we can help alleviate their financial burdens and make this special season brighter for this very deserving group of our fellow citizens.”
Meals, in the form of a gift card or traditional meal kits, will be distributed at more various events across the U.S. this holiday season concluding Dec. 21. Since the program began in 2010, Holiday Meals for Military has served over 750,000 individual family members. operationhomefront.org.
Habitat for Humanity
Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has worked with families and individuals in need of a hand-up partner to build or improve a place to call home. Because everyone deserves a decent place to live, the nonprofit works across all 50 states in the U.S. and in over 70 countries.
Throughout the holiday season, several Habitat corporate partners have banded together to support its mission of building homes and hope by raising funds to make affordable homeownership more accessible. “Celebrating the holidays in a safe, decent and affordable home can make this time of year more special for families around the world,” says Charlita Stephens-Walker, vice president of corporate partnerships and cause marketing at Habitat for Humanity International.
“The holiday season reminds us of the importance of giving back and supporting the causes we care about. We are grateful to our corporate partners as they engage with their customers to further Habitat’s mission and our global efforts to build or improve affordable housing around the world.”
For various lengths of time, Habitat’s partners will engage with customers online and in store to raise funds for Habitat. Partners include At Home, Giftcards.com, Lazy Dog Restaurants, Panasonic and others. To find a full list of partners and how to participate, visit habitat.org. This year on GivingTuesday, a few generous Habitat for Humanity supporters are matching all gifts, up to $175,000.
Operation Tiny Home
Operation Tiny Home
Supporting people who are struggling with severe housing instability, Operation Tiny Home aims to help individuals maintain a life of dignity through high-quality tiny housing solutions and empowerment training programs. Assisting veterans, natural disaster victims, the chronically homeless, Native Americans, and those who are housing unstable, the nationwide nonprofit manages several programs to support various walks of life.
Its Pay-it-Forward Veteran Housing program provides independent housing for veterans in need of permanent housing, while its Building a Better Future for Veterans program offers nationwide tiny home building workshops to empower veterans. Operation Tiny House accepts building material donations in addition to monetary and volunteering. operationtinyhome.org.
HomeAid
For the month of November, HomeAid aims to raise awareness about homelessness. Believing that housing is a human right, the nonprofit develops, builds, and preserves a variety of housing from emergency to supportive permanent through its 19 affiliates.
The monthlong awareness campaign encourages individuals to learn, act, and share about the issues concerning homelessness and focus on those individuals and populations who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
HomeAid has built more than 1,000 construction projects valued at more than $250 million, of which nearly 50 percent was donated in-kind by the building industry. Last month, HomeAid CEO Scott Larson shared insight on building a future without homeless in Zonda’s Inspirational Leadership with the Best in Home Building podcast with Mollie Carmichael. homeaid.org.
