Unique Lighting & Home Decor concluded 2025 with its largest nonprofit contribution to date, providing over $7,500 in lighting fixtures, accessories, hardware, and bulbs to the National Affordable Housing Network. The women-owned retailer's in-kind donation arrives as housing affordability pressures intensify across Montana, where 28.9% of households spent 30% or more of their income on housing and utilities in 2024 according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
The donation will support NAHN-aligned housing initiatives across Southwest Montana in 2026, helping partner organizations maximize build budgets and reduce material cost barriers. Kellie Gribben, Owner and Founder of Unique Lighting & Home Decor, emphasized the strategic timing of this contribution, stating that NAHN's work ensures housing affordability extends beyond lowering upfront costs to creating sustainable homes and communities that support families over time.
Gribben noted that NAHN's mission impacts entire neighborhoods and the families living in them, making this donation particularly meaningful as economic pressures continue to challenge households across Southwest Montana. The lighting materials will directly assist organizations working to expand long-term affordable homeownership opportunities, strengthen community housing initiatives, and improve financial literacy for households navigating housing cost pressures.
This coordinated December 2025 contribution represents a significant milestone for Unique Lighting & Home Decor, reinforcing how local businesses can play crucial roles in supporting nonprofits advancing affordable housing outcomes. The retailer, which specializes in lighting fixtures and customized lighting design through one-on-one consultations, has maintained a long tradition of local community support throughout its operations.
The National Affordable Housing Network, founded in 1994 and based in Butte, Montana, advances affordable, high-performance housing through subdivision development, historic building housing initiatives, and financial literacy programs that strengthen community housing stability. The organization also provides technical assistance and educational support to nonprofits and community housing partners throughout the United States. More information about Unique Lighting & Home Decor's offerings can be found at https://buttelighting.com.
For business and technology leaders observing community development trends, this donation illustrates how targeted corporate contributions can create measurable impact in addressing systemic challenges. By providing essential building materials rather than cash donations, Unique Lighting & Home Decor ensures its contribution directly reduces construction costs for affordable housing projects, creating a multiplier effect that extends the reach of nonprofit housing initiatives throughout the region.
