Volunteers needed for building projects
By Denise Strub

Not everyone can attain the American dream of wealth and luxury, yet everyone deserves the basics of life, such as food, clothing and safe housing.

Working to solve the last issue is Oxford-Lafayette Fuller Center for Housing, formerly Oxford-Lafayette Habitat for Humanity. The volunteer board of directors recently voted to switch affiliation as a way to better match its vision for safe quality housing in the county.

“The decision to switch affiliation to Fuller was difficult and was done only after months of intense discussion among our board members and a series of meetings with Fuller representatives,” said board chairman Mike Gerberi. “In the end, our board felt that the Fuller organization was a better fit and voted unanimously to make the change.

“From a day-to-day operational point of view, it will be business as usual,” added Gerberi. “The move to Fuller will be transparent to the Oxford-Lafayette community. Our mission will not change. In fact, the association with Fuller will only strengthen our mission.”
The organization’s mission is to build and rehabilitate housing for those in need.

“The change to Fuller will save thousands of dollars as 100 percent of every gift to us will be used solely for new home construction, building handicap ramps or repairs to existing residential projects,” said Gerberi.

The Fuller Center for Housing, headquartered in Americus, Ga, was founded in 2005 by Millard and Linda Fuller as a re-commitment to the grass-roots principles with which they founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976.

A 1996 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Millard passed away in 2009, but Linda remains active in the ministry. Millard was succeeded as president by long-time friend and colleague, David Snell, who continues to lead the international organization today.

The Fuller Center for Housing (FullerCenter.org) builds and repairs homes in more than 70 U.S. communities and more than 20 countries around the world. Homeowners are full partners in the building process, contributing sweat equity as they work alongside volunteers and then repaying the costs of materials on terms they can afford, with no interest charged or profit made. Those repayments stay in the local community to help others get the same hand-up.

For more information, contact Gerberi at 662-607-6343 or at oxfordfullercenter@gmail.com. Donations may be made through https://fullercenter.org/oxford or made to PO Box 276, Oxford, MS 38655.