Nelson Mitchell Wins Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award

Photos by Jill Broussard

Congratulations to Nelson Mitchell, CEO of HistoryMaker Homes, the 2022 recipient of the honorable Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award, presented by BUILDER and Hearthstone. The 23^rd annual award was bestowed live at the Builder 100 event this week at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, California.

“Mitchell’s spirit of generosity and unwavering dedication to those in need is a true representation of the Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award,” said Jeff Meyers, CEO of Zonda. “He is not only generous with his own time and resources, but his encouragement of his employees to experience the joy of giving has built a culture of generosity that benefits numerous lives and communities.”

Hearthstone and BUILDER, together with founding sponsor Kohler Company, joined forces to recognize builders who are dedicated to giving back and making a difference in the community. Over the last 23 years the Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award has given over $7 million to various charities, making it the largest philanthropic award in the homebuilding industry.

Charitable giving is a core value for family-run HistoryMaker Homes, for which Mitchell is a fourth-generation home builder. His company has raised over $14.5 million benefiting children with disabilities, impoverished communities, veterans, and local homeless populations. Two organizations, in particular, have been deeply impacted by Mitchell’s fastidious generosity: Homes for HOPE, an organization that aims to fight global poverty, for whom the builder has constructed two houses; and The Miracle League, which provides children and young adults the opportunity to play baseball regardless of their abilities, including custom fields that accommodate wheelchairs.

Through the Joy of Giving program Mitchell has inspired others in his organization to give with a cheerful heart. Each year, teams within the company are given $2,500 to donate to a local nonprofit organization, school, or ministry of their choosing. Over $220,000 has been donated through the Joy of Giving program.

Additionally, the Mitchell family is very involved with Family Legacy Missions International and has given roughly $260,000 over the years, enriching the lives of children in Zambia. The builder also donates to the Texas A&M school of construction science department, and hires interns who then become full-time employees upon graduation.

The Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award program is fully funded by a team of sponsors. Every dollar given is donated to the awardee’s associated charities. This year, in recognition of Mitchell’s exemplary philanthropic dedication, the 2022 Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award is proud to present $300,000 total to Mitchell’s two charities—$150,000 to Homes for HOPE and $150,000 to The Miracle League.

“Hearthstone is proud to recognize Nelson Mitchell of HistoryMaker Homes as our winner of the 2022 Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award,” says Mark Porath, CEO of Hearthstone. “In today’s society, it is so important to highlight the accomplishments of leaders like Nelson Mitchell who give their time, attention, and resources to support those less fortunate in his community. Nelson’s charitable giving demonstrates his lifetime commitment to philanthropy.”

The award recipient was chosen by a panel of top industry leaders with experience in humanitarian outreach.

Learn more about Nelson and his philanthropic efforts in this month’s edition of BUILDER magazine.