A lasting impact: Dale Larson shares why he gives to Habitat
While volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build site in the early 1990s, Dale Larson witnessed firsthand how having a safe and affordable home helps a family build a brighter future. The experience inspired him to do more to advance affordable housing for all. That year, his company, Larson Manufacturing, a manufacturer of storm windows and doors, donated dozens of products to Habitat Greater Sioux Falls to help ensure homeowners had safe and secure homes.
Since that first donation, The Larson Family Foundation has sponsored land purchases, home repairs and new home construction. Larson’s generosity has also funded Habitat’s U.S. research and measurement work, our efforts to foster connection and resource sharing across our U.S. affiliate network, and capacity building work to allow us to serve more families during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Larson also has funded Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Projects and Habitat ReStores. Most recently, as a testament to his longstanding commitment to Habitat, Larson donated an extraordinary gift of $30 million to the organization – the largest cash donation Habitat has ever received from an individual.
Larson shares why he supports affordable housing and why he believes it will take all of us coming together to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
What inspired you to get involved with Habitat?
Larson Manufacturing is related to the home construction industry, and we wanted to be able to make a difference in our sector. So we were interested in working with organizations like Habitat that supported affordable housing. I think we’ve donated roughly 50,000 storm doors during the period of time that we’ve been involved with Habitat.
Also, as a family through The Larson Family Foundation, we wanted to bring attention to issues affecting children. Working with Habitat gave us the opportunity to partner with families to build decent housing where they can raise their children in a safe and healthy environment.
In what ways do you hope your recent record-breaking gift will inspire others to get involved?
In the past, when our company has raised funds for our local community, it helped increase awareness of important issues and motivated others to give in greater numbers. I thought, “I’m going to try to raise the town’s aspirations to get them to be involved.” I saw how that worked locally, and I knew that it could be done on a larger scale.
I believe we must all work together to increase access to affordable housing, which affects people all across the country and the world. My hope is that our gift will inspire more people to give to Habitat, whether that’s previous donors who might consider making a larger gift or first-time donors.
How does it make you feel when you see the impact of your gifts to Habitat and how you have helped families achieve strength and stability through better shelter?
I think it really comes down to when you see the individuals get their keys. I think that’s the part that really says they’re going to have a different, transformative life from now on. And that’s the part that really drives it home for me.
Why do you think it’s important to donate?
I think my father was a pretty good example. One of his businesses was a grocery store, and he helped about 20 to 30 families all the way through the Great Depression. He taught the way he lived. We learned from his example that we should share the things that we’ve been given.
If your great-grandchildren were reading this interview 15 years from now, what you would want them to hear from you?
I’ve just been asked by my children and grandkids to write something down about what kind of a good life I’ve had. And so I sent them an extensive letter telling them what I did and that I thought they could be able to do it, too. For instance, they can tithe as they see fit to help other people. It doesn’t necessarily have to be to a church, but it could be an organization the church helps, for instance, like Habitat. And they can also tithe their time, volunteering for Habitat. I wrote about how it makes you feel good when you share your good fortune with other people. I think that holds true for my family and anyone else who wants to make a difference in the lives of others.