The Fuller Center will begin building simple, decent homes as soon as possible, breaking ground as soon as emergency teams have completed their missions. Working with other organizations to secure buildable land, the Fuller Center plans to erect small earthquake resistant homes for less than $4,000 each.

As with the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the Fuller Center will forward donations to where they are most needed: exclusively for Haitian homes. The center will also be organizing volunteer work teams to construct the homes.

David Snell, president of the international home building organization released a statement saying, “The Fuller Center is not a disaster-relief organization, but we have a very important role to play in the longer-term response to this crisis. We build houses – simple, decent homes that provide a safe, secure place for families to live in. We expect to be heavily involved in Haiti, once the situation there stabilizes and reconstruction work can begin.”

He concluded his statement with a call for help: “It’s the basic nature of charitable work that we seem to always have our hand out, asking for support,” Snell said. “But the good work we do wouldn’t be possible without that support. We believe the Haiti earthquake is a special call to people of good will. We do appreciate your generous support.”

To contribute to the Fuller Center Haiti fund, please send a check to The Fuller Center for Housing, PO Box 523, Americus, Georgia 31709 and include a note that specifies the donation for Haiti. Or you may donate online at www.fullercenter.org.

About The Fuller Center for Housing

The Fuller Center for Housing is a non-profit 501c3 international Christian home building organization based in Americus, Georgia USA. The Fuller Center — created in 2005 by Habitat for Humanity founders Millard and Linda Fuller — partners with churches, schools, businesses and civic organizations to build decent, affordable homes worldwide for people who are unable to secure adequate housing by conventional means.

“When the devastating earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday, native Daniella Sisson, married only a month to a Shreveport man, was awaiting papers to go through so she could join him here.

At the same time, three members of Shreveport’s First United Methodist were in Haiti to check on the welfare of children at an orphanage the church sponsors.

Shreveport friends and relatives of the four hope they’ll all make it out of Haiti, where about a third of the 9 million residents were impacted by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake, leaving the impoverished country with possibly thousands — even perhaps 100,000 — dead and basic essentials nonexistent. U.S. military help is being readied, with a 2,000-member Marine unit on the way or leaving soon. A State Department official said there are reports of at least three American deaths in Haiti, but only 100 of the estimated 45,000 Americans living there had been able to verify they were OK.

The three Shreveport church members are going to try to leave Haiti today, said Mark Sorensen, husband of member Nycki Sorensen. Also on the trip with her are Hubert Debo and missionary Britney Winn. Mark Sorensen is director of college and young adult ministries and the the contemporary worship service at First United Methodist. He heard from his wife, a teacher at A.C. Steere Elementary, on Wednesday afternoon via a satellite phone that probably was borrowed. Previously, he had only received a text message about 5 p.m. Tuesday that the group was OK.”

Read more at the Shreveport-Times: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20101140339