Hundreds of Volunteers Spending Labor Day Vacation Building Homes for Low-income Families as Part of Worldwide Housing Event
by Staff
September 6, 2010
ATLANTA, (christiansunite.com) -- The Millard Fuller Legacy Build is bringing together hundreds of volunteers across America who will use Labor Day as a day of service. Instead of grilling or hitting the beach, more than 1,000 volunteers will be traveling with their tool belts to work projects that stem from Indianapolis to Nigeria.Sept. 3 marks the beginning of the second annual Millard Fuller Legacy Build -- a worldwide, weeklong effort organized by the ecumenical Christian nonprofit, the Fuller Center for Housing, to help eliminate substandard housing.
The event -- named to honor the late Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center for Housing -- will bring 300 volunteers to Indianapolis, the U.S. host city for this year's event. Volunteers will build or restore homes for 25 families all in one neighborhood that has seen high crime and massive deterioration of homes.
This global build project will touch the hearts of families in 40 locations around the world where more than 100 homes will be built, repaired or dedicated during Sept. 3-11.
"Over the next week, Fuller Center partners will be dedicating over 100 houses -- from our hub in Indianapolis, to places as distant as Idaho and Nepal," David Snell, Fuller Center president, said. "This will be a great demonstration of our commitment to eliminating poverty housing one house at a time."
The build is well timed. The United States is seeing some of the worst foreclosure rates in every major city. In addition, the United Nations estimates more than 1 billion people worldwide live in urban slums.
The Legacy Build gives hope to those who cannot qualify for conventional home loans, or afford to purchase or renovate homes. In Atlanta, Ga., where homes are foreclosing at alarming rates, six renovation projects will be dedicated on Sept. 11. Two new homes will be dedicated in Alabama. And in Luvu Village, Nigeria, four families will move into homes for the first time.
"I am grateful for the hundreds of ways Millard has been honored over his lifetime. However, what meant the most to him was a family moving from substandard housing to a decent home of their own," Linda Fuller, Millard's wife of nearly 50 years, said.
About The Fuller Center:
A nonprofit started in 2005 by Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller to continue his vision of a grassroots movement working to eliminate poverty housing worldwide. Visit www.FullerCenter.org for more.
