Throughout the semester students in the Construction Technology and Management program learned the principals of construction. However, this was the first time they got to take what they learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world. In two weeks the students plan on building two houses as part of what Linda Sonnier, program director for the CTM program calls a house blitz.

While attending Louisiana Tech Sonnier worked with the Fuller Center on a modular housing project. After getting a job with BPCC Sonnier continued her work with the Fuller Center via her students in the CTM program. Since the spring of 2008 semester Sonnier has invited students to build houses for the Fuller Center.

“In our methods class we are learning about wood frame. [Students] learn more today about what wood frame is than I could teach in two weeks worth of classes. You have to do it to be able to learn it,” said Sonnier
Lee Jeter, executive director of the Fuller Center, agrees.

“It’s a win-win for us and the [college]. The students get the hands on experience and we get the volunteer labor we need to facilitate our ministry as far as building houses for those in need,” said Jeter.

The BPCC students not only worked on two houses, but they also worked alongside the future occupants.

“It’s a lot of fun because you get to work side by side with them and they are just happy to be here to help and so are we,” said Lisa Dumas, president of the AGC student chapter.

Although working along side those in need of housing, Sonnier does not believe the students understand the gravity of their charitable work.

“[Students] do not even realize yet how important what they are doing is. It will hit them over time as they talk about it with people that they know. Right now they are having fun and that’s great too,” said Sonnier.

However, one thing the students clearly understand is their effort.

“Everyone needs a place to live. Knowing you built something and can drive by and say you built that, you put that together, and it makes not only that person feel good but yourself feel good; it’s indescribable,” said Ernest Blackstone, a student at BPCC.

Yolonda Braziel, the future homeowner, was amazed at the selflessness of the students.

“It’s amazing because (these people) I don’t know just gave their time to a stranger. The reality of it has not set in yet. It’s an extraordinary experience to be a first time homeowner. That is something I never thought I would achieve in this lifetime as a single parent of seven,” said Braziel.

© Jim Potts – nwlanews.com

Volunteers from as far away as Idaho and Minnesota will join with local residents to build two new houses in Shreveport in conjunction with the Fifth Anniversary Celebration of The Fuller Center for Housing.

The two houses will be built in the 1400 block of Alston Street in the Allendale neighborhood, continuing a transformation that started in the area shortly after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. When these two homes are completed, The Fuller Center will have built 42 new houses in the neighborhood.

“This is exciting. We are the flagship site for The Fuller Center for Housing and we are honoring Millard Fuller and reflecting on how much the Fuller Center has grown locally and internationally since Katrina,” said Lee A. Jeter, Sr., executive director of The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana.

“I would challenge any group or individuals who want to see how partnerships make a difference to come see the changes in this community. This is a great opportunity to give something back to the community and work side by side with other volunteers.”

Volunteers coming to Shreveport for the build include 12 University of Idaho students, 45 University of Minnesota students who will be here March 17 and eight volunteers from Fort Worth, Texas. A volunteer group from Arkansas will come in during the second week of the build.

One of the new homeowners is Yolanda Braziel, a mother of seven who lost her job when the Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club where she worked was damaged by fire. She and her children moved into a family home that had been vacant and in need of many repairs. “This miracle that has been bestowed upon me and my family is emotionally overwhelming,” she said.

Delisa Robinson was working offshore when her family evacuated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Everything she and her son owned was destroyed. The family relocated to Shreveport, where she and her son have been living in a one-bedroom efficiency apartment. “I know that receiving a Fuller Center home will show my son that there is hope and people are willing to help you if you pray and have faith,” she said.

Persons who would like to volunteer to help are asked to call The Fuller Center office at 318-221-7474 or send an email to info@fullercenternwla.org.

The Fuller Center for Housing, an ecumenical Christian non-profit, was started in 2005 by Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller as a way to continue his vision of a grassroots movement working to eliminate poverty housing worldwide. The Shreveport initiative started in 2005 in partnership with Community Renewal International as a means of helping evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. Visit www.fullercenter.org or www.fullercenternwla.org for more information.

© Daily You Newswire

Her four-bedroom home she is helping to build in Shreveport’s Allendale neighborhood is taking form quickly and already has walls, a roof and a concrete floor.

The house is one of two being built by The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana and dozens of student volunteers as part of the nonprofit’s fifth anniversary celebration. Since Hurricane Katrina, the organization has built 40 homes in Allendale, but that count will soon be 42. The homes should be finished by May, and there will be a dedication March 20 at the site on Alston Street.

“This is just the beginning,” said Executive Director Lee Jeter Sr. “We’re starting in Allendale, but we’re going to duplicate what we’re doing in Allendale across northwest Louisiana, across Shreveport, Bossier, Cedar Grove, Queensborough and Mooretown.”

About the homeowners

Name: Yolanda Braziel
Age: 40
Occupation: Cook/manager

Motto: “Tragedies are a common fate. Through it all God never saw fit to let none of these things be for me.”

In her words: As a single parent of seven, I never thought that I would be able to begin to own a used home, let alone a new home.

My life changed about two years ago when my job caught on fire, and they laid all of us off. The house that I was living in I could no longer afford, and I had to move into my grandmother’s house, which was vacant for about two years. We tried to fix it up the best we could, but with the income I had I wasn’t able to patch the holes in the walls, the plumbing was raggedy, just really a mess.

Somebody went to the community police and told them about me and my family. They made the house livable, but it is still bad off. The Fuller Center was a part of it, too.

They patched up the problem, but Mr. Jeter said he wouldn’t be satisfied until I got something decent.

This has renewed my faith and my confidence and has helped me to have a new independence.

I appreciate the smallest things: not even having a sink and now being able to wash my hands and have a clean sink. We didn’t have air, and now I’m going to turn the air on full blast. The main thing I’m looking forward to is a living room.

I’ve been talking to the volunteers, and it means a lot for someone to give like that to someone they don’t know.

Name: Delisa Robinson
Age: 30
Profession: Housekeeper

Motto: Psalm 23

In her words: I was heading to Memphis on a cruise ship from New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. My parents got caught in the storm, and they were stuck in the house for three days. They lost everything.

They were on a bus for 12 hours heading to Shreveport, and I joined them when they got settled in an apartment.

I started working with the Fuller Center to get a house in 2006, but I stopped putting forth the effort when they said I needed more hours at work and my pay wasn’t enough. I moved into my own apartment to build credit because if I could pay for somebody’s property, I could pay for my own. In 2009, Mr. Jeter sat me down, and I really listened to him this time.

I paid all my credit off and took my income tax check and gave him a down payment. And it has helped me to look into buying more houses.

I love paying bills. My mom says I’m crazy, but it just releases my spirits and makes me free. And God has blessed me every day. I thank God for my momma and daddy because they encouraged me to buy a home. I’ve never had this feeling, but I’m going to take it and run with it.

I love the volunteers, and I thank God for them because without them how would we get it off the ground?

© Nicole Blake Johnson – Shreveport Times

The “building on higher ground” initiative kicked off in December 2005 to build and repair homes in Shreveport, La. for the influx of evacuees fleeing the coastal areas following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

A 5-house, 2-week build is currently underway through March 27th at The Fuller Center’s three partners in Louisiana: Shreveport, Webster Parrish and Hammond. Two of the homes, one in Shreveport and one in Hammond, are for Hurricane Katrina evacuees who will finally be moving into a new home nearly five years after their lives turned upside down after the devastating storm.

The Fuller Center has built or renovated a total of 46 homes for Hurricane Katrina, Rita and Ike victims across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

The Fuller Center for Housing was founded in March 2005 by Habitat for Humanity founders, Millard and Linda Fuller, to continue their vision of a grassroots mission of eradicating poverty housing. Since that time, The Fuller Center has expanded to almost 60 U.S. communities and 16 countries, building or renovating more than 650 homes. The group is on track to nearly double that number this year with plans to build or renovate 1,150 homes, including up to 500 homes in Haiti.

The Fuller Center is an ecumenical Christian organization that invites and welcomes volunteers and supporters of all faiths who share its basic belief in giving people dignity by helping them build and own a home. The Fuller Center creates partnerships within communities that bring together churches, schools, businesses and civic organizations to build decent, affordable homes for people who are unable to secure adequate housing by conventional means. All homeowners work hand-in-hand with volunteers to build their own homes, which are then sold to them on terms they can afford, based on the Biblical principle of no-profit, no-interest loans.

In its five-year existence, The Fuller Center has grown to include programs that tailor to and involve students, churches, RV owners, people interested in volunteering internationally and even cyclists with its annual Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure. The Fuller Center also oversees a mobile group of experienced volunteers called Disaster ReBuilders who relocate to towns affected by natural disasters to aid in the reconstruction efforts. The Disaster ReBuilders team is currently in Orange, Tex., partnering with AmeriCorps and the University of Cincinnati to help with hurricane recovery.

The Fuller Center continues to grow at a rapid pace. It has expanded its reach to often ignored areas facing housing, economic and social crises, including North Korea, where The Fuller Center has a partnership with the Paektusan Academy of Architecture to build energy-efficient houses for farmers. The Fuller Center is also working with Lazarian World Homes in Haiti to build earthquake-, fire- and hurricane-resistant houses for $3,000 each and has challenged every church in America to fund at least one house.

The Fuller Center does not just build houses for low-income families. The expansive reach of The Fuller Center is enabled by its innovative “Greater Blessing program,” which involves renovating existing homes. This less-expensive program is key to providing a way for smaller communities to help its elderly and disabled residents by repairing leaking roofs, replacing broken windows and installing wheelchair ramps, among other things. The “greater blessing” is felt by the homeowners when they are given the opportunity to pay back the repairs over time, thus enabling other homeowners to receive help from The Fuller Center.

Although The Fuller Center experienced tragedy in February 2009 with the unexpected death of founder Millard Fuller, The Fuller Center continues faithfully marching on with his dream of a “world with no shacks.”

Source: The Fuller Center

Two Shreveport families will be getting new homes thanks to The Fuller Center for Housing.

Volunteers and college students from Idaho, Minnesota and Texas will be working alongside the families to construct the homes in the Allendale neighborhood starting today. The project coincides with the Fifth Anniversary Celebration of The Fuller Center for Housing.

Construction will continue during the week, and volunteers can still sign up to help. The houses, located at 1433 and 1437 Alston St., will be dedicated at noon March 20. Upon completion, the Christian nonprofit will have built a total of 42 houses in the neighborhood. To volunteer, call The Fuller Center office at (318) 221-7474 or e-mail info@fullercenternwla.org.

© Shreveport Times

The Fuller Center is a post-Katrina success story. Its work in the Allendale neighborhood, alongside Community Renewal International, is transforming the previously crime- and drug-ridden part of downtown Shreveport. The local Fuller Center partner has built or repaired 75 houses, providing simple, decent shelter for almost 200 people in Allendale.

Since The Fuller Center began building in 2005, crime has dropped in Allendale 55 percent. Emergency phone calls from the areas where Fuller Center houses are clustered have dropped nearly 90 percent.

In 2010, a grocery store will open in Allendale, encouraged by the Fuller Center’s success. The nearest store with affordable, fresh food is currently ten miles away, making shopping difficult for elderly residents and those without cars. There is also a new playground for children and a community garden now tended to by several residents.

“Many years ago this was one of the worst communities in the city. Homicides, crime, gang activity – you name it,” said Jewel Mariner, a community coordinator in Allendale. “It’s amazing to see the transformation in people’s lives and in this neighborhood. People used to just call this The Hill. Now it’s New Hope Hill.”

The Fuller Center is celebrating its fifth anniversary and the ongoing success of the Allendale project by returning to Louisiana between March 15 and 27 to build five houses with its three local partners – Shreveport, Hammond and Webster Parish.

Additional Information:

The Fuller Center for Housing is an ecumenical Christian non-profit started in 2005 by Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller as a way to continue his vision of a grassroots movement working to eliminate poverty housing worldwide. The Fuller Center is based in Americus, Ga., and is currently working in nearly 60 U.S. cities and 17 countries. Visit FullerCenter.org for more information.

SOURCE: The Fuller Center For Housing

“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

“For a while I lived with my parents in their apartment, it was small and very crowded. I moved to a local apartment complex downtown, because it was the only place that I could afford, it was within walking distance to my job and alone the bus route for my son.”

We lived in a one-room efficiency and the living conditions there were very bad.

I know that receiving a Fuller Center home will show my son that there is hope and people willing to help you if you pray and have faith.

Help Delisa and the Fuller Center of NWLA by donating your time or giving a cash donation.

God sent her assistance in December 2009 in the form of the Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana, The Shreveport Police Department and other community volunteers to help make the house livable. However, the house was in great need and is still in need of many repairs. The ceiling is deteriorating, the foundation is shifting, and the electrical wiring is outdated.

During the December blessing, Ms. Braziel was informed of the opportunities provided by the Fuller Center for Housing of NWLA and that to continue to put money in her home would be a waste of valuable resources, but if she was willing, the center would work with her to get her qualified for a new home. Blessed be to our Lord and Savior, Ms Braziel and her daughter, the oldest of the seven kids are employed and has qualified for a new Fuller Center home.

Ms Braziel said that being blessed in qualifying for Fuller Center home gives her new meaning to the word “independent”. “I never dreamed that I would own a used home, let alone a new home.” “This miracle that has been bestowed upon me and my family is emotionally overwhelming. When I think about the Providence House, shelters and other individuals living on the street.

I also think about the fact that God never saw fit to let none of these things be. For my Family. GRATEFUL IS WHAT I AM.

Help Yolanda and the Fuller Center of NWLA by donating your time or giving a cash donation.

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.