As the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree leaves the plaza Jan. 9, its next journey will bring new life to a Habitat for Humanity home. In a nearly decadelong tradition, Tishman Speyer, the owner and manager of Rockefeller Center, will donate lumber from the tree to Habitat for Humanity. This year, the 78-foot-tall Norway spruce will stay in its home state of New York where it will be used by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh.

"The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a gift that keeps giving. It brings joy to people during the holiday season, which continues as it becomes part of a Habitat home," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We're thankful to Tishman Speyer for donating the tree to Habitat for the ninth consecutive year and for supporting our mission as we help families build strength, stability and independence through shelter."

Tishman Speyer first partnered with Habitat for Humanity in 2005 when employee volunteers framed houses for one week in Rockefeller Plaza to help families affected by Hurricane Katrina. The partnership expanded in 2007, the first year lumber from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Inspired by the annual tradition of donating the milled lumber of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, in 2011 author David Rubel collaborated with Habitat for Humanity, Random House and illustrator Jim LaMarche to create "The Carpenter's Gift," an uplifting holiday picture book set in Depression-era New York. Highlighting the timeless themes of charity and goodwill, "The Carpenter's Gift" shows that the best gifts are the ones that are unexpected, and may well inspire readers to do some giving of their own.

The 2014 tree was milled into two-by-four and two-by-six pieces and was used to help frame five homes in Philadelphia. Lumber from previous trees has been used in the construction of homes in Pascagoula, Mississippi; Stamford, Connecticut; Newburgh, New York; Morris, New Jersey; and New York City.