Athene, a West Des Moines-based retirement services company, announced that it is donating $500,000 to the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. The donation 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,” Mike Downing, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Athene, said in a prepared statement.

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 today when more than 50 Athene employee volunteers gathered at the company’s West Des Moines home office to build walls for a future Habitat home. The wall panels will be moved to the site of the future home.

“Athene’s generous support will help drive our work forward, powering innovative solutions that are crucial to building and repairing homes affordably,” Lance Henning, CEO of GDM Habitat for Humanity, said in a prepared statement. “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 its employees. Athene’s support has helped enable the nonprofit 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 in November. The campaign is designed to provide a financial foundation for the organization to increase its impact through the construction of two large workforce housing developments, acquisition of land for future construction, and expansion of a new Habitat program designed to connect more Central Iowans with affordable mortgages.