Atlanta Fuller Center For Housing, Inc

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Proclamation Presentation

Jackie Goodman, Mark Galey and Dorothea Norman, members of Greater Atlanta Fuller Center, holding Resolution presented minutes before by Atlanta City Council.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

HGTV's Kimberly Lacy joins Fuller Center as Ambassador

Submitted On January 14, 2011
It was announced today that HGTV’s Kimberly Lacy is signing on as an ambassador with The Fuller Center for Housing. Many celebrities merely lend their names to causes, while others like Kimberly Lacy do the hard work in the trenches and become more than just a voice for causes greater than themselves.

Kimberly's commitment to service became clear through her work in Atlanta’s Lakewood Heights neighborhood where The Fuller Center is working to revitalize that community. “When I met her and saw her enthusiasm there was nothing but a genuine flow of love and concern for the homeowners and the overall community. Her heart and working hands spoke for themselves.” - Beverly Black, Director of Donor Development for The Fuller Center for Housing.

"The Fuller Center is actively building or repairing homes in more than 60 communities across the US and 16 countries worldwide. Millions of families around the world are living in deplorable conditions and need our help. There is much to be done. We need as many helping hands and hearts as possible to accomplish the task of getting families into simple decent homes. We are thrilled that Kimberly has come on board to help spread the word about the Fuller Center’s mission near and far.” -David Snell, President The Fuller for Housing

Kimberly is the spunky Co-Host and Project Manager of HGTV’s Curb Appeal: The Block now in its third season. She is a highly skilled expert paint and design Artisan and operates her own design company “Anatomy of Design.”

Because of her work on HGTV, serving as a volunteer expert project manager with The Fuller Center, and understanding the housing needs of low-income families, Kimberly has risen to The Fuller Center’s call of action which is to provide decent, affordable and safe homes to those in need and provide assistance to those who cannot afford to pay for much needed repairs to their homes.

As an ambassador, Kimberly will participate in building projects across the country, help lead work teams through The Fuller Center’s Global Builders Program, serve as a media spokesperson for both domestic and international events, and participate in disaster rebuilding efforts.

“I am excited about the opportunity not to just renovate or “build up a block,” but to build up entire communities around the world.” -Kimberly Lacy, Ambassador, The Fuller Center for Housing.

For more information about Kimberly, visit www.KimberlyLacy.com

Millard Fuller Sermons & Fuller Center Podcasts

The Atlanta Fuller Center For Housing, Inc. has some wonderful and informative podcasts-click on the links below to listen and learn about a variety of topics. Please click on the links below to hear the podcasts.

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication. The word replaced webcast in common vernacular due to the fame of the iPod and its role in the rising popularity and innovation of web feeds.

Millard Fuller Sermons-Please Click Here To Listen

EarthCraft & Green Building Podcasts-Mark Galey, Volunteer, President, Atlanta Fuller Center

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The 10 Year Kitchen

This is the first kitchen I’ve ever done in my pajamas.

After buying our house in 2000 and adding on 960 SF plus a pool, the kitchen never got done. Sure we had grand plans but things kept getting in the way. Because of some of the other work in the house we would do parts of the kitchen toward the master plan but never did the kitchen completely until this last winter. I decided to go ahead and ‘get-er-done’ as they say.

We looked at buying new cabinets and got prices, we looked at the option of unfinished cabinets and finally decided to work with what we had. One of the key motivators was that a used counter depth Sub Zero was donated to The Atlanta Fuller Center for Housing’s ‘Re Claim It Store’ that we were able to purchase very reasonably. We also started looking at what used cabinets at the ReClaim It Store were available that we could implement.

Being an award winning remodeling contractor I struggled with a perception of what would people think if I’m out here doing all these beautiful kitchens and what my clients and perspective clients would think of me using used stuff in my own kitchen, and here are my thoughts;

I really wanted to get our kitchen done this time and we could finally piece it together.

As a tree hugger I really liked the idea of reusing, I wanted to lead by example and what better way than in my own home.

I really wanted to support the work of The Fuller Center through our purchases.

I knew we would save a lot of money on cabinets, and could invest the sweat equity to make up the difference by doing the refinishing work ourselves.

Now our kitchen consists of items from four different kitchens plus some new stuff.

We reused 8 existing cabinets, 8 used cabinets and the Sub Zero came from the Re Claim It Store, we only had to purchase 3 new cabinets, the stove and microwave came from a scratch and dent store, the sink we bought a long time ago at IKEA, the faucet is new, the countertops were made on site with new material, the raised bar material came from a used commercial display, we made the corbels out of scrap iron, the floor tile we’ve had for 10 years as well as the backsplash material, new paint, hardware we bought new online.

We still have a new lighting plan scheduled after we have our home measured for energy efficiency (or lack thereof) so I can have real world testimony and experience based on applying the principals on my own home.

At the end of the day I’m happy with my decision and my wife is happy with me. http://www.magnetconstruction.com/gallery-kitchens-galey.php

Please donate to www.AtlantaFullerCenter.org

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Fuller Center group seeking volunteers

by Thomas Hoefer

The house of Sunny Side residents Bobby and Anita Simpson was destroyed by the tornado that hit Spalding County on April 28. Without home insurance, the family relies on help from the community, and this help will be coming Saturday when the Henry County Fuller Center for Housing will be on site to start the rebuilding process.

However, the organization is still in need of local support.

“We need a lot of volunteers, sponsors and donations,” said John Quinn, who is getting the word out for the event, adding that people with knowledge of plumbing and electricity are especially welcome.

Work will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Simpson residence at 5029 Old Atlanta Road. Sponsors, such as local businesses, are needed to provide food and beverages for volunteers.

According to its Web site, www.hcfullercenter.org, the Henry County Fuller Center began working on the house of Bobby and Anita Simpson on April 30, clearing fallen trees from the yard and covering the damaged sections of the roof with a tarp.

Saturday’s work will include the start of the rebuilding process, which may be a continuing effort, Quinn said.

Those who are interested in joining the rebuilding efforts of the Henry County Fuller Center should come to the site of the house Saturday, as registration is not required.

Read more: Griffin Daily News - Fuller Center group seeking volunteers
http://www.griffindailynews.com/view/full_story/13229073/article-Fuller-Center-group-seeking-volunteers-?instance=home_news_lead_story

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Green building podcasts | The Fuller Center for Housing

FCH-Atlanta president Mark Galey

The Fuller Center for Housing - Atlanta was the first non-profit in the world to gain EarthCraft certification for a home renovation project. Mark Galey, president of FCH-Atlanta, sat down with us to discuss the many benefits of green building and sustainable renovations, as well as what it means to neighborhoods and communities. Additionally, he offered a few tips for other FCH covenant partners hoping to go green.

http://www.fullercenter.org/green-building-podcasts

4/12/11, Mark Galey: Financial aspects of green building

4/12/11, Mark Galey: Achieving the EarthCraft certification

4/12/11, Mark Galey: Purposeful building and renovating

Sunday, May 8, 2011

A Solemn Ride to Spalding County...

It was a quite, solemn ride to Spalding County just a couple days after the storms to help with the tornado recovery, but it just looked like another ordinary Saturday ride in the country. Having stopped and got my biscuit and coffee, I noticed the boats behind the trucks presumably headed to the lake, the bicycles on the carrier off for a spin, folks setting up their yard sales and others getting ready @ the local flea market. Everybody seemed busy going somewhere, doing something. Everything seemed perfectly normal. I remember thinking if all these folks even REALLY knew what kind of damage there was just down the road from where they were. I mean we see the snippets and hear the sound-bites on TV and we’re wowed or whatever but did these folks REALLY understand? Did they REALLY know what needs there were just down the road? I even thought did they even care? Certainly if they knew they would do something. Right?

The first set of instructions Millard Fuller ever gave me to share with my friends and colleges of how they can help was these three things;
Help spread the word of The Fuller Center
Help raise donations
Help start other Fuller Centers.
I have learned in the last four years it definitely all begins with spreading the word.

So how do we get out the word about folks like Bobby & Anita Simpson whose home was severely damaged during the storms and need help rebuilding because their insurance coverage lapsed? Oops!! But now what? These working folks still need their home rebuilt. It’s probably going to take $4K or better to purchase the needed materials and some volunteers. Bobby & Anita are going to have get out there with us and rebuild their home along with the volunteers and they’re being asked to donate back what was donated to them into The Greater Blessing Box revolving fund that will help another family in the future in their time of need.

I’m sure we haven’t met who else we’re supposed to help yet but we’ll be led there accordingly. How will those folks like Bobby & Anita know there is help available? How will those folks who are capable of helping and most likely willing to help if only they knew, how can we reach them?
How can you help? What about making and delivering sack lunches for the construction volunteers?
What about blogging or posting info on FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, ect?
What about come shoot pictures and/or video and put it up on YouTube with all the links? Do some interviews? Ask some questions. What about reaching out to all your media contacts and ask them to help spread the good word?
What about raising donations? Doing the reconstruction? Scouting for other needy families and victims of the tornados? What about contacting local churches, sharing what we’re doing and invite them to join us? Civic Groups? Lumber Yards? Paint Stores?

We plan on starting the reconstruction process on Bobby & Anita’s home May 14th, we don’t have all the details ironed out yet but we will be updating on all our sources as we have new information. Their home is located @ 5029 Old Atlanta Road, Hampton GA.

This effort is being channeled through The Henry County Fuller Center for Housing, with The Atlanta Fuller Center is redirecting its energy in collaboration for a time.I’m asking you for your help, find where you fit in, come be involved but just for a day, look in the eyes of the needy, hear their plight, stand where they are, let your heart lead you.

Mark Galey
Volunteer & President, Atlanta Fuller Center

"I see life as both a gift and a responsibility. My responsibility is to use what God has given me to help His people in need." - Millard Fuller

"I don’t think it's an exaggeration to say that Millard Fuller has literally revolutionized the concept of philanthropy." - Former President Bill Clinton

The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta’s Mission

The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta, faith-driven and Christ-centered, promotes collaborative and innovative partnerships with individuals, organizations, corporations, and religious groups of all faiths in an unrelenting quest to provide adequate shelter for all people in need in the Greater Atlanta area.

The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta Organization

The Fuller Center for Housing, a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry, was established in the spring of 2005 by Millard and Linda Fuller, who founded Habitat for Humanity. They had the simple but audacious goal of eliminating poverty housing worldwide, and the organizations they built have made remarkable progress toward that goal by providing decent homes for more than one million of the world’s poor. By forming partnerships with local organizations, The Fuller Center provides the structure, guidance and support that communities need to build and repair homes for the impoverished among them. The Fuller Center seeks to improve standards of living by helping those impoverished people help themselves. A Fuller Center home is not a hand out, but a hand up. By working alongside volunteers and repaying construction costs on terms they can afford, based on no-profit, no-interest loans, homeowners are able to regain a sense of basic human dignity. As of June 2010, The Fuller Center for Housing had 54 covenant partners in 26 states as well as 15 international covenant partners. The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta is one of those Covenant Partners and proudly joins with volunteers, donors, and other organizations in an effort to provide adequate shelter for families in the Atlanta area.