Building Hope: Minnesota's New Dream Home Funds a Life-Saving Mission

LAKE ELMO, MN – March 19, 2026 – On a plot of land in Lake Elmo’s North Star community, the simple act of breaking ground represented something far greater than the start of a new house. It marked the beginning of a home built on hope, generosity, and a collective commitment to saving children’s lives. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® and leading local builder Creative Homes have officially launched the construction of Minnesota’s second St. Jude Dream Home® Showplace, a project where every nail, beam, and brushstroke contributes directly to the fight against childhood cancer.

The premise is as powerful as it is simple: Creative Homes, along with a network of dedicated trade partners and national sponsors, will construct a high-end luxury home using entirely donated time, labor, and materials. Once completed and showcased in the Fall 2026 Parade of Homes℠, the house will be sold, with all net proceeds going directly to support the pioneering research and unparalleled patient care at St. Jude. For the future owner, it's an opportunity to acquire a beautifully crafted home; for St. Jude, it's a multi-million dollar infusion of critical funding.

A Proven Model of Philanthropic Innovation

The St. Jude Dream Home program is one of the most successful and enduring fundraising campaigns for the hospital. Founded in 1991 by Dr. Donald Mack in Shreveport, Louisiana, the initiative has grown into a nationwide phenomenon, raising over $450 million by 2021. While many are familiar with the "Dream Home Giveaway" model, where $100 tickets offer a chance to win a home, the Lake Elmo project follows the "Dream Home Showplace" model. This approach involves building a high-value home with donated resources and selling it on the market, turning the full value of the property into a direct, substantial donation.

This model has already proven incredibly successful in Minnesota. The state’s inaugural St. Jude Dream Home Showplace, built by Hanson Builders in Maple Grove, was unveiled during the Fall 2025 Parade of Homes. That luxury property, valued at over $1.5 million, generated immense public interest and was expected to contribute approximately $1.5 million to St. Jude's mission. The success of the first project paved the way for this new endeavor with Creative Homes, demonstrating the deep well of generosity within Minnesota's building community and its residents. The efficiency of this model is remarkable; by eliminating nearly all construction costs through donations, it ensures that an overwhelming majority of the home's sale price becomes pure, unrestricted funding for St. Jude's operations, where 82 cents of every dollar goes directly to its mission.

Crafting a Dream with Purposeful Partners

At the heart of this project is Creative Homes, a builder ranked among the top ten in the Twin Cities by Housing First Minnesota. Known for its quality craftsmanship and a "people-first" culture across more than 20 communities, the company has a long-standing commitment to philanthropy. Their portfolio of community support includes partnerships with St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity and Hearts and Hammers, making the collaboration with St. Jude a natural extension of their corporate ethos.

Nick Hackworthy, President and Owner of Creative Homes, has stated that building a home for free with the help of trade partners has long been a company goal, making the partnership with St. Jude "truly exciting" for the entire team. This excitement was palpable at a recent "Bricks & Sticks" kickoff event, where dozens of trade partners—from electricians and plumbers to roofers and landscapers—came together to pledge their support. These local businesses form the backbone of the project, committing their resources to a cause that transcends a typical job site. Their contributions are amplified by national sponsors, including luxury brands like Brizo®, Shaw Floors®, Trane®, Bosch®, and Kichler®, who provide the high-end fixtures and finishes that will make the home a true showpiece.

A Community Hub for a Global Cause

The home’s unveiling is strategically timed for the Fall 2026 Parade of Homes℠, an event organized by Housing First Minnesota that attracts thousands of prospective buyers and design enthusiasts. This high-profile showcase provides an invaluable platform, transforming the property from a private residence into a public symbol of hope. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the finished home, drawing inspiration from its design while learning about the life-saving work it supports. This public viewing period is crucial for raising awareness and encouraging further community involvement through donations and volunteerism.

The North Star community in Lake Elmo, known for its luxury homes and scenic landscapes, provides a fitting backdrop for the project. The construction of the Dream Home Showplace not only brings economic activity to the area but also fosters a sense of shared purpose. St. Jude invites local businesses and residents to get involved, whether by spreading the word, volunteering during the Parade of Homes, or making a direct donation. The project demonstrates how a local community can rally together to make a significant impact on a global scale, directly funding the research that helps children not just in Memphis, but around the world.

Fueling St. Jude's Unrelenting Mission

Every dollar raised from the sale of the Lake Elmo Dream Home will fuel the mission articulated by St. Jude founder Danny Thomas: "no child should die in the dawn of life." St. Jude Children's Research Hospital operates on an annual budget exceeding $2 billion, a figure projected to grow as it pursues an ambitious $12.9 billion six-year strategic plan to expand its research and global impact. The hospital's financial model is unique: because of generous donors, families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food. This allows them to focus solely on their child's health.

When St. Jude opened its doors in 1962, the overall survival rate for childhood cancer was a grim 20%. Today, thanks to research pioneered at St. Jude and shared freely with the global medical community, that rate has soared to over 80%. But the work is not finished. The proceeds from this single home in Minnesota will help fund the next generation of breakthroughs, pushing closer to the day when no child dies from cancer. The future owners of the Lake Elmo Dream Home will acquire more than just a residence; they will become part of this legacy, living in a beautiful home that was built to give other families the most beautiful gift of all: hope.