The Chicago division of M/I Homes started construction in Plainfield, Illinois, on its 2025 “Benefit Home” for the national homebuilder’s annual philanthropic program supporting Pelotonia, an organization raising funds for innovative cancer research.
The builder hosted a groundbreaking celebration April 28 for the home, located in its Riverstone community, with employees, trade partners and Pelotonia representatives in attendance.
This will be the fourth consecutive year M/I Homes of Chicago has participated in the national homebuilder’s Benefit Home program, in which M/I Homes divisions across multiple geographic markets partner with contractors, vendors and suppliers to build a home at one of their local communities at a reduced cost.
The homes are sold at market value, with profits donated to Pelotonia. Over the last three years, M/I Homes of Chicago has raised more than $470,000 for Pelotonia through the Benefit Home program; the donation from the 2025 home is poised to bring that local total close to $600,000. Nationally, M/I Homes has raised more than $11 million for Pelotonia across its market divisions since it began the Benefit Home program in 2021.
“As a builder, we have the special privilege of helping people find and design their dream home,” said Rick Champine, area president of M/I Homes. “That honor is amplified each year with our Benefit Home, knowing that by doing what we do best — building a beautiful home in a desirable location — we’ll be supporting Pelotonia’s vital mission of fighting a disease that impacts so many of us. Every single person involved in the Benefit Home, from the workers who pour the foundation to our sales team that finds the perfect buyer to purchase it, is incredibly proud to contribute to this effort in a very tangible way.”
This year’s Benefit Home will feature M/I’s popular two-story Barclay floor plan, with an open-concept kitchen and family room space, four bedrooms, a full basement, and attached two-car garage. “Thanks to our trade partners who make this program possible through discounts and donations at every phase of construction, we’re able to deliver a Benefit Home with all the features and finishes today’s buyers are looking for, helping ensure a generous donation to Pelotonia,” said Champine. “We’re also pleased to be building this year’s Benefit Home at Riverstone, where residents enjoy a scenic riverfront setting as well as all the benefits of living in a sought-after suburb like Plainfield.”
M/I Homes expects to host a dedication ceremony for the completed 2025 Benefit Home in October, at which time it will announce the total amount of the donation to Pelotonia.
The multiyear relationship between M/I Homes and Pelotonia stems from the two national organizations’ shared roots in Columbus, Ohio, where both are headquartered. Additionally, M/I Homes President and CEO Robert Schottenstein sits on Pelotonia’s board of directors.
