Athene, a leading retirement services company based in West Des Moines, announced a $500,000 gift to Greater Des Moines (GDM) Habitat for Humanity at a special event Thursday. The gift will support GDM Habitat for Humanity's Framing Our Future capital campaign and will be recognized in connection with GDM Habitat for Humanity's volunteer programs.
“Adequate housing is a critical community need, and Athene is proud to provide financial support to help Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity fulfill this mission,” said Mike Downing, EVP and Chief Operating Officer at Athene. “Habitat for Humanity’s efforts align with our philanthropic pillar of human services – supporting and elevating the underserved in the communities in which we live and work. This program will have a positive impact on our community and benefit generations to come.”
Over the course of their partnership, Athene employees have provided more than 1,100 hours of volunteer service to GDM Habitat for Humanity. That number increased Thursday, as over 50 Athene employee volunteers gathered at the company’s West Des Moines home office to build walls for a future Habitat home. Later, the wall panels will be moved to the site of a future Habitat home, where volunteers will raise them into place and begin the construction process. Athene’s volunteer crew paused their work Thursday to celebrate the announcement and sign well wishes on construction studs so new homeowners feel welcomed and supported.
“Athene's generous support will help drive our work forward, powering innovative solutions that are crucial to building and repairing homes affordably,” said Lance Henning, CEO of GDM Habitat for Humanity. “The combination of financial support and volunteer support from Athene is a powerful investment into our work and a major boost to affordable homeownership in communities across our metro.”
In the past, Athene has sponsored GDM Habitat for Humanity events and initiatives, in addition to the volunteer power provided by their employees. Athene’s support has helped enable the non-profit organization to advance its initiatives and gain visibility in the community.
Framing Our Future is a $10.5 million capital campaign announced by GDM Habitat for Humanity this past November. The campaign is designed to provide a financial foundation for the organization to grow its impact through the construction of two large housing developments, acquisition of land for future construction, and expansion of a new Habitat program designed to connect more Central Iowans with affordable mortgages. Learn more about the campaign at gdmhabitat.org/framingourfuture.
For more information, please contact Jenna Ekstrom, Executive Vice President for Strategy for Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, at jennekstrom@gdmhabitat.org or 515-897-8725
About Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity
Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to put God’s love into action, bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. GDM Habitat’s programs include construction of new, affordable homes for qualifying families; neighborhood revitalization through home preservation repairs; housing counseling; and financial education classes. Each one of our programs supports the self-sufficiency and stability of partnering families, leading to more resilient households and a stronger Greater Des Moines community. To learn more about GDM Habitat, visit www.gdmhabitat.org.
About Athene
Athene is a leading retirement services company with $300 billion of total assets as of December 31, 2023, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations. For more information, please visit
www.athene.com.
We do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.