About Us

#buildforbees

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to protect our bee populations through education and habitat restoration.

Our Story

In 2018, 15-year-old Emily Huffstetler learned that one-third of the American honeybee population had died in the past year. Wild bee populations were in decline as well.

With five years' experience raising mason bees--a gentle, low-maintenance bee that's 90% more successful at pollinating than honeybees--Huffstetler believed she could help.

Huffstetler developed a Girl Scout Gold Award project called Build for Bees. She led workshops to help people at East Tennessee schools, nursing homes and festivals build houses for mason bees out of recycled mugs. She also built more substantial cedar ones and installed them in community gardens and orchards.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Build for Bees builds mason bee houses on an international scale. We also provide educational resources on our website and social media (@buildforbees on Instagram and TikTok).

We're actively expanding our programming. Our latest initiative is called Habikit. Recognizing that habitat loss is one of the leading causes of bee population decline, we're developing region-specific bee habitat kits. Visit the "Habikit" tab to get involved.