Montana Lighting Retailer Donates $7,500+ to Affordable Housing Network

Unique Lighting & Home Decor, a women-owned lighting retailer based in uptown Butte, Montana, is making a historic community impact by donating over $7,500 worth of lighting fixtures, accessories, hardware, and bulbs to the National Affordable Housing Network (NAHN). This in-kind contribution, the largest nonprofit donation in the company's history, was coordinated in December 2025 and will directly support NAHN-aligned housing initiatives across Southwest Montana in 2026. The donation helps partner organizations maximize build budgets and reduce material cost barriers, addressing the critical issue of housing affordability where 28.9% of Montana households were cost-burdened in 2024, spending 30% or more of their income on housing and utilities.

Kellie Gribben, Owner and Founder of Unique Lighting & Home Decor, expressed her enthusiasm for supporting NAHN's mission after two decades of working with affordable housing organizations. She emphasized that NAHN's work ensures housing affordability isn't just about lowering upfront costs but creating sustainable homes and communities that remain viable for families over time. The timing of this contribution aligns perfectly with NAHN's mission to expand long-term affordable homeownership opportunities, strengthen community housing initiatives, and improve financial literacy for households navigating housing cost pressures. This partnership demonstrates how local businesses can play a crucial role in supporting nonprofits that advance affordable housing outcomes.

The National Affordable Housing Network, founded in 1994 and based in Butte, Montana, is dedicated to advancing affordable, high-performance housing through subdivision development, historic building housing initiatives, and financial literacy programs. Unique Lighting & Home Decor specializes in lighting fixtures and customized lighting design through one-on-one consultations, with a long tradition of local community support. Readers can learn more about the company by visiting their website at https://buttelighting.com, which provides information about their products and services. This collaboration between a local business and a national nonprofit organization represents a significant step toward addressing housing affordability challenges in Southwest Montana and serves as a model for community-business partnerships nationwide.