SHREVEPORT, La. — Volunteers from Barksdale Air Force Base spent the better part of their morning painting the house of 90-year-old World War II veteran Frank Vaccaro of Shreveport.

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Volunteers from Barksdale were contacted by the Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana earlier and were more than a dozen responded to the plea in honor of Vaccaro who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. “Mr. Frank is a 90-year-old World War Two veteran and it was brought to our attention that he needed some exterior paint to his house,” said Lee Jetter of the Fuller Center. “But when Mr. Frank was brought to our attention and because of the services sacrificed that he had made. We said we are going to do this project and we will find the funding,” added Jetter.

A donation from a local church in the amount of $1,700 was all it took to get the ball rolling for paint, tools, and other equipment for the project.

The Fuller Center to date has done 53 projects similar to this since 2006.

If you are interested in helping the Center, you can contact them at: 318-221-7474

KTBS News

The Fuller Center for Housing in Shreveport has given permanent refuge to former residents of New Orleans who lost everything as a result of Hurricane Katrina five years ago.

The Center provided opportunities for qualified families to build and move into homes to escape washed out neighborhoods where they once lived.

Executive Director Lee Jeter built houses for former New Orleans residents in Shreveport. He now sees the hurricane as a blessing. Mr. Jeter says, “I think we begin to heal as a state. I think Katrina was a blessing as much as it was a curse because it gave some individuals the opportunity, who would never have gotten out of the housing projects or out of New Orleans to have a different life, to do something different.”

By Michael Wesp – Online Editor/ KMSS News
Monday, August 30, 2010 – 7:18pm

“If they go on a bus, you know you can’t carry too much food on the bus,” said Rosie Chaffold, Allendale resident. “Many times after you’ve bought your 50 dollars worth of groceries you only have 10 extra dollars to pay somebody to take you and bring you back.”

Chaffold says there are corner stores in the community. However Chaffold says the food is not always fresh or affordable.

The Fuller Center for Housing hopes to open the grocery store by the end of the year.

Reported by: Amber Miller

In December NBC 6 News introduced you to Yolanda Braziel who is a single mother of seven. Her home was in ruins until several community members and businesses stepped up and made major repairs. Now Braziel’s getting something she never thought possible.

“I never thought I’d be able to own a used house and God has blessed me now that I will be a recipient of one of the new homes and it is overwhelming,” said Braziel. “I tell you I feel like I’m asleep. It feels like a dream.”

Braziel recently qualified for a Fuller Center for Housing house. The building process begins March 15th. She’s scheduled to move in eight weeks later.

The Fuller Center for Housing needs $80,000 to build Braziel’s house. If you would like to donate or volunteer log onto fullercenternwla.org.

“The floors are cracked,” said Brazile. “We have holes in the walls. The doors aren’t even with the thing so a lot of wind comes through and we don’t have any source of heat except the stove and a couple electric heaters.”

Just last week an anonymous good Samaritan learned about Brazile’s situation and called Shreveport police hoping to help.

“Most people call to put people down but they were concerned enough to try to get some help and not try to hurt me,” said Brazile. “I’m overwhelmed.”

Shreveport Police Department Corporal Mike Dunn and Sandra Lister went to work.

“When I called businesses some of them I didn’t tell what I wanted I just told them I had a family I wanted them to meet and when they came out they felt compelled to do it for me,” said Lister.

Within days help poured in. Wilbert Williams with Mt. Mariah Baptist Church will donate $500.00. Calvin and Delores Johnson’s Motorcycle Club will donate a sink and a monetary gift. Richard Rascoe with the Whitlock Plumbing Company will complete all of Brazile’s plumbing work for free.

“If you come to our church and say you need help we will open our doors and our hearts because that’s what Jesus did,” said Williams.

“Some have and some have not,” said Johnson. “It’s always been a close thing to our hearts to help put back into the community.”

“I want to get everything going for her and take care of those little ones and be able to clean up,” said Rascoe.

The outpouring of love is a Christmas miracle Brazile never thought she would receive.

“If I thanked them all day and all night and all month and all year it really wouldn’t be enough,” said Brazile.

C.J. Enterprises has donated $1000.00 to the Brazile family and challenges other businesses to do the same.

The future is looking even brighter for Brazile and her children. Shreveport’s Fuller Center for Housing is currently helping Brazile apply for a brand new home through its program.

© Amber Miller /KTAL