Made in the Shade 2026: Our Community Showed Up
September 21, 2026
Rain or Shine, Our Community Showed Up for Made in the Shade
A wet morning and cooler temperatures didn’t stop the fun at Made in the Shade 2026!
On Saturday, September 19, the Homeward Bound community headed to Bde Maka Ska for our 21st annual Made in the Shade 5K Walk, Run & Roll. Residents, families, guardians, staff, volunteers, partners and friends came ready to move, connect and have a good time together.
And that is exactly what we did.
The People Make the Day
One of the best parts of Made in the Shade is seeing so many different parts of the Homeward Bound community in one place.
Our DSPs, Program Managers, OAs and leadership team joined residents and their families and guardians around the lake. Our Student DSPs made it out, too, along with an amazing group of volunteers, friends and family members who showed up to participate and support HBI.
It may have been a little wet and chilly, but there were plenty of smiles, laughs and energy to go around.
VIEW THE 2026 MADE IN THE SHADE PHOTO GALLERY
Take a look through the photos and see some of our favorite moments from this year’s event.
Starting the Morning Strong
A huge thank you goes to our 2026 Event Ambassador and HBI Inc. Board Member Taylor Tufte, who helped us kick off the morning. Taylor was joined by her family and coworkers from UHG, who came out in force to support Homeward Bound.
We were also happy to have Jim Schaefer, HBI Inc. Board Member, join us and take part in the race.
And before anyone hit the route, The Firm got the whole crowd moving. Their high-energy warmup has become a Made in the Shade favorite, and once again, they had everyone moving, smiling and ready to go.
It Takes a Lot to Get to the Starting Line
There is also a big part of Made in the Shade that happens long before the walk begins.
Getting residents from Homeward Bound’s 22 West Metro homes to the lake takes planning, coordination, transportation and a whole lot of teamwork.
To our staff: thank you.
Thank you for getting up early, organizing transportation, helping residents get ready and making sure everyone had what they needed for the morning. We know how much work goes into simply getting everyone there.
Having our residents together with the larger HBI community is what makes this day so special.
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners
Made in the Shade also wouldn’t happen without the organizations and community partners who continue to show up alongside us.
A big thank you to our sponsors and supporters:
New Hope Lions Club
Plymouth Lions Club
One Wheel Marketing
Universal Promotions
Thank you as well to our lunch sponsors:
BreadSmith – Minnetonka
Co-op Partners Warehouse
And we can’t forget the Lions and friends who once again fired up the grills and helped prepare 800+ burgers for the crowd!
From setup to warmups, grilling, volunteering and everything in between, this event works because a lot of people pitch in.
The Walk Is Over. The Giving Doesn’t Have to Be.
Made in the Shade may be over for another year, but there is still time to support Homeward Bound.
This year’s campaign gives supporters two ways to make an impact.
You can make a Made in the Shade gift to a Homeward Bound home you have a personal connection to. Those dollars stay connected to that home and can help fund outings, activities, special purchases, experiences and other enhancements for the people who live there.
You can also support the Adventure Club, helping remove barriers to recreation, travel, community outings and new experiences for residents across Homeward Bound.
And, of course, general operating gifts to Homeward Bound continue to support our broader mission and the services we provide every day.
Whether you walked, ran, rolled, volunteered, grilled burgers, helped a resident get to the lake, sponsored the event, donated or simply cheered everyone on, thank you for being part of Made in the Shade 2026.
We loved spending the morning with you.
See you next year!
