The executive director of FCNWLA says he “learned a lot” during the Legacy Build and is ready to build two or three houses in March. To build three he needs $210,000.

He is also beginning to lay the foundation for building in other areas of town. He said, “There are people who need homes; there is property available.”

Jeter also wants organizations in those communities to step up and help through donations and volunteering.

In addition to building new houses, Jeter wants to expand the Greater Blessing repair and renovation program.

The program helps people who are homeowners get the repairs they may need but cannot afford.

A new endeavor in coming months will be involvement in lead abatement in houses built before 1978, especially those houses with minor children. Jeter said he had previously obtained a pamphlet
on lead poisoning so workers could be safe while doing rehab work. “I didn’t know it would become a focus area,” he said.

In the meantime, the Louisiana Department of Health and Human Services asked the center to get involved in solving the problem of lead poisoning. “First, I’m getting educated about lead poisoning,”
Jeter said. “Then I’ll pursue grant opportunities to address this issue.”

Jeter told of a client who may lose custody of a 4- year-old grandchild if they can’t address the problem. The client is disabled and on fixed income; moving is out of the question. “We need to step in and help them,” he said.

At last year’s conference in Virginia, Millard Fuller asked FCNWLA board members Becky Cooksey and Katie Weir to host the 2010 meeting.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, the various sessions will be held at First United Methodist Church. The Saturday afternoon sessions end with a tour of Allendale, which the Fuller Center calls its “flagship” building site.

Dinner will follow with Linda Fuller, cofounder of the Fuller Center for Housing, speaking. Attendance at a Sunday worship service is optional.

Local home owner Phyllis Davis has been selected to speak at Friday’s dinner.

Lee Jeter, FCNWLA executive director, said he is proud to host the event and “to showcase what we’ve built, all our partners and our city.”

The conference will cover over 13 topics. Weir said that the essential idea she formed at last year’s meeting is the “importance of partnering with entities in the community.” Several of the conference’s sessions address this concern.

Weir also is interested in the session labeled, “ReUse Store Strategies.” She said this is about creating an income source from the reselling of donated items. “For example,” Weir said, “many stores will donate items that they can’t sell because of imperfections.”

Groups that receive these items may not be able to use them in their building projects but can resell them for operating revenue.

2009 Conference

Participants in the conference will be staying at the Downtown Holiday Inn on Lake Street and will be transported to the church and other venues.

Weir said that they will need about 15 local volunteers to help with the conference in areas such as meals, registration and transportation. She hopes that many FCNWLA board members will be able to participate.

Register At FullerCenter.org – Put on your Google Calendar

Not far from Alston Street, volunteers slipped on their gardening gloves and got a little dirty to clean up the Asian Gardens at Milam and Common streets. The Aseana Foundation, which manages the downtown garden, put on the event in partnership with Make a Difference Day.

“I just thank everyone who thought enough of me to come out here and work,” Sullivan said. “I’ve been blessed with a house before. The house before was from my parents, but this one is mine — it’s a lot different,” she said with big smile.

Make A Difference Day 2009

Walker said she never dreamed she’d be a homeowner at age 22. The house was originally built to be handicap accessible, but during the build process Walker’s grandmother, who applied for the house and convinced Walker to be a co-applicant, passed away.

“I say she knew that she was going to pass away. That’s why she wanted me to be the co-applicant,” Walker said, calling the house a blessing for her and her 5-year-old son, Rodrigues Walker.

Walker grew up in Allendale and her approaching move-in date is bringing her full circle. From birth to age 12, Walker lived in a small house on the very lot where her new three-bedroom, two-bathroom house stands in the 1400 block of Alston Street. She said she was shocked when she learned months ago the location of her future house.

Just outside her kitchen door is a sidewalk adjoining her house to the house of soon-to-be-neighbor Sullivan, 67, the woman’s granddaughter and two grandchildren.

In 2005, as Hurricane Katrina approached, Sullivan and her family vowed to leave together and stay together or not leave at all. “There were 21 of us, and we left in my granddaughter’s Hyundai Elantra.”

Walker’s and Sullivan’s houses are the 39th and 40th houses completed by the Fuller Housing Center.

“When we undertook our 40th home — 40 is typically a number of trials and tribulations — we knew we would have some trials and tribulations,” said Lee Jeter, the center’s executive director.

Construction began Aug. 31 and as deadline — Make a Difference Day — approached, the rains came.

The constant rain over the past two weeks “has proven this house is built on the rock,” Jake Owensby, dean of St. Mark’s Cathedral, said alluding to Matthew 7:25, which reads “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

Receiving the keys to their homes is not the last step, but the first step, in the women’s path to home ownership, according to Katie Weir, co-chair of the center’s board.

Sullivan and Walker will each close on their house later this week and enter a 20-year, no-interest mortgage. Their mortgage payments, set between $350 and $400, pay for the cost of the building materials.

The formerly adjudicated property the houses are built on is donated as well as all labor and some materials. And the city’s role in donating the land is one Mayor Cedric Glover said “represents the greatest of win-win scenarios the city likes to be involved in.”

The city is able to move out of the red when these property are no longer their responsibility to maintain. “We’re returning stakeholders to this community,” Glover said.

© Kelsey McKinney/Shreveport-Times

Now, five years later, her tears are joyful.

“I started crying and thanking God,” she said. “I know he was responsible for getting us here.”

Sullivan is a recipient of one of two houses constructed Monday during the inaugural Millard Fuller Legacy Build.

The event was part of a 100-house nationwide blitz honoring Millard Fuller, late founder of The Fuller Center and Habitat for Humanity. Lee Jeter, executive director of the Fuller Center of Northwest Louisiana, said that build falls on Fuller’s wedding anniversary. The center worked in collaboration with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

“We work together to obliterate substandard housing,” Jeter said.

The houses were built in the 1400 block of Alston Street in the Allendale neighborhood. By the end of the blitz, the non-profit would have constructed its 40th house.

Louise Cummings, a double amputee who has diabetes, will live in her house with her granddaughter and great-grandson. The house is sponsored by First United Methodist Church and will be constructed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Cummings already has plans for her new home. She’ll move in her furniture and then sit on the porch.

“I’m going to do something crazy,” she said. “I’m going to get my granddaughter to cook me a big old meal.”

St. Marks Cathedral, First Baptist Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Joseph Catholic Church and Church of the Holy Cross sponsored Sullivan’s house.

“I thank God,” she said. “He gave me another chance. If it wasn’t for him, I never would have made it. I’m glad I’m here in Shreveport. I never thought I would leave New Orleans.”

© Icess Fernandez/Shreveport-Times – ifernandez@gannett.com

The goal of the local group is building two new houses from Aug. 31 though Sept. 4.

Legacy Build Day 1 - 2009

The 39th house has been funded by First United Methodist Church, Shreveport. Lee Jeter, executive director of The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana, said he is still soliciting funds from several other churches for the 40th house.

Jeter has been encouraging churches in the Allendale neighborhood to participate.

He wants the churches to become aware of the Fuller Center ministry and to volunteer time even if their financial resources limit their giving, to tithe or give love offerings to help support the center’s ministry and to refer applicants for both the new houses and the Greater Blessing home rehabilitation program.

“Millard Fuller brought in resources, including $2.5 million, when he committed to building houses here,” Jeter said. “We must build on that legacy.”

Legacy Build Day 2 - 2009

The FCNWLA completed 19 houses in 2006, 14 in 2007 and 5 in 2008.

To volunteer for the Legacy Build, register by Aug. 15 at www.fullercenter.org or phone 318-221-7474.

Those who lack building skills can help with registration, prepare/serve meals, keep workers hydrated, run errands and help with cleanup.

Through this initiative FCNWLA has rehabilitated a number of homes in Allendale and the surrounding area.These rehabs are done in partnership with businesses and churches and can include such work as roofing, painting, plumbing and other general repairs.

Recent rehab projects and partnerships include the 315 N. Allen Ave. home of Helen Clark – Community Renewal International in partnership with Honeywell Corporation; the 1834 Garden St. home of Carrie Brayboy – Chesapeake Energy; and the Etta Williams home at 121 Leroy St. – Eldorado
Casino.

In addition students from the Huntington High School shop class built a ramp for Effie Romby at 1928 Ford Street. Job Corps members and other volunteers also painted her house.

From June 14-20, 75 people from the Central Texas Methodist Conference performed approximately 2,250 hours of service at 19 different sites, which included rehab on 10 homes, the YWCA and four Volunteer of America sites.

The group of 45 youth and 30 adults, divided into nine teams, also built four
wheelchair ramps. Noel United Methodist Church housed the participants
while they were in the area.

“We would like to give thanks to our many partners and to the Central Texas
Conference for their recent mission trip to Shreveport and the impact that their service had on our community,” said Lee Jeter, FCNWLA director. “OYEE, our community partners!”

FCNWLA screens rehab applicants as they do applicants for new houses. Owners of renovated homes receive “Greater Blessings” boxes which contain envelopes addressed to FCNWLA to be used for love offerings to help bless other families.

“We are trying to get local churches to recommend people whose homes need rehab work,” Jeter said. “We want to help those who are unable to help themselves.”

The Act of Donation ceremony took place at the Clay Street office of the center with refreshments following.

Chesapeake spokesman Kevin McCotter made the presentation.

Jeter said that having the truck will reduce “wear and tear” on the personal vehicles of the center’s staff.

He also noted that the truck will allow the center to accept more donations. Additionally, staff will be able to bring materials to work sites from storage bins without making multiple trips.

The FCNWLA wants to acquire two trailers, one closed and one open, Jeter said. The Silverado will enable employees to pull heavy trailer loads.