Walla Walla Public Library receives $100,000 investment to support “The Next Chapter” renovation campaign and creation of the new Hayden Homes Creativity Center, as part of the homebuilder’s new Give As You Go™ Fund.

News Highlights:

• Hayden Homes launches the Give As You Go™ Fund, pledges $25 million to charitable causes by 2030
• Introduces “Every Home Gives,” where each new home generates a $300 company-funded donation to support local nonprofits and homeownership access
• Announces $100,000 donation to the Walla Walla Public Library renovation, funding the new Hayden Homes Creativity Center, as well as a giveaway of 60 Earth Day-themed children’s books purchased from local store Book & Game Company
• Reconfirms Hayden Homes’ commitment to building a strong community in a state where the homebuilder is already achieving new market-rate home prices for households earning well below 100% area median income, in nearly a dozen WA cities, without public subsidy.

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WALLA WALLA, Wash. — April 22, 2026 — Northwest homebuilder Hayden Homes today announced a pledge to invest $25 million to charitable causes by 2030, alongside the launch of its Give As You Go™ Fund, an initiative connecting homebuilding with a commitment to building a strong community across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.

The fund will focus on philanthropic priorities including housing solutions, youth and education, food security, and Hayden Homes’ non-profit, First Story.

There are two key pillars to the fund. The first, at the heart of the program, directly involves homeowners. Hayden Homes now fully funds a donation of $300 for each new home sold, which the company calls “Every Home Gives”. A portion supports First Story, a nonprofit expanding access to homeownership, while the remainder supports local nonprofits in the county where the home is sold.

Hayden Homes buyers are invited to nominate a nonprofit organization they care about, ensuring that philanthropy stays local, personal, and connected to real community needs.

The second pillar of the Hayden Homes $25 million pledge directs company philanthropic dollars to support larger community initiatives. To kick this off, Hayden Homes presented $100,000 to the Walla Walla Public Library to support “The Next Chapter” renovation project, including the new Hayden Homes Creativity Center.

“The library is the place where our community comes together to grow, connect, and imagine,” said Heather VanTassell, Library Director. “The new Hayden Homes Creativity Center will open doors for so many young people in our community. It’s about more than art. It’s about creating a space where youth feel they belong, where they can be inspired, supported, and excited to learn.”

The new Hayden Homes Creativity Center will be a dedicated space for young people to explore, create, and feel a sense of belonging, while also supporting nonprofit partners like Master Gardners and PictureLab who connect youth to art and creative experiences. The space will include features like a floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall seamless magnetic whiteboard wall for creating and displaying art, as well as sinks, and flexible areas designed for hands-on, sometimes messy, creativity.

“We’re thrilled to support the Walla Walla Public Library,” said Dennis Murphy, CEO of Hayden Homes. “A space that exemplifies how people and especially youth experience community. From the beginning, we’ve believed that supporting the communities where we build is not only a privilege, but our responsibility. The Give As You Go™ Fund puts this belief into action. Attainable housing is only part of what it takes to build a strong community.”

The announcement comes as many Northwest communities continue to face rising housing costs alongside growing pressures on local services and infrastructure. Hayden Homes’ core business model focuses on building homes for households earning approximately 100–120% of area median income, while also investing in the communities where those homes are built. In nearly a dozen cities across Washington state, Hayden Homes has been able to deliver homeownership to an even broader range of income levels.

Across Central and Eastern Washington in cities including Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, Prosser, Grandview, Walla Walla, Yakima, Spokane Valley, Cheney, and Moses Lake, Hayden Homes is currently selling market-rate homes without public subsidies or deed restrictions at prices that households earning 64-91% AMI can afford (according to the US. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or H.U.D).

Hayden Homes has worked closely with local jurisdictions, elected officials, land owners, suppliers, and policy makers to help demonstrably expand attainable homeownership for more working families and retirees.

In addition to the major gift to Walla Walla Public Library, Hayden Homes has recently committed Give as You Go™ funds to several other local nonprofit and charitable organizations in the region. These include the Blue Mountain Action Council, the American Cancer Society, Walla Walla Exchange Club, Walla Walla Community Council, and more.

At today’s library event and in honor of Earth Day on April 22, Hayden Homes also gave away 60 copies of children’s books to young library patrons and their families. The Earth Day-themed picture books were purchased from Walla Walla’s independent bookstore Book & Game Company.

ABOUT HAYDEN HOMES

Established in Redmond, Oregon in 1989, Hayden Homes has provided over 28,000 new homes to price-conscious, value-driven homebuyers in underserved, secondary markets throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Hayden Homes continues to be the largest privately-owned new home builder in the Pacific Northwest. Hayden Homes exists to Give As You Go™, so together we build a strong community, and lead fulfilled lives.

Hayden Homes has contributed $7.7 billion to local economies and has created more than 112,000 jobs since the company’s inception. Hayden Homes supports philanthropic efforts in the communities in which they build and have contributed more than $88 million in charitable donations with the flagship of their giving through the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, First Story. To date, First Story has provided over 125 families throughout the Pacific Northwest with an affordable home and a first step toward financial freedom. The Hayden Homes brand family of companies includes Simplicity by Hayden Homes, Wise Size Homes and Hayden Homes, all providing an unparalleled selection of opportunities for those looking to purchase a new home.