February 3, 2009

Dear Habitat for Humanity partners,

Habitat for Humanity is deeply saddened by the death of Millard Fuller, the visionary whose ideas and tireless work created Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Fuller led Habitat from its founding in 1976 until his separation from the organization and his founding of the Fuller Center for Housing in 2005. He died early today, Feb. 3, following a brief illness. He was 74.

“Millard Fuller was a force of nature who turned a simple idea into an international organization that has helped more than 300,000 families move from deplorable housing into simple, decent homes they helped build and can afford to buy and live in,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “The entire Habitat family mourns the loss of our founder, a true giant in the affordable housing movement.  Our prayers are with the entire Fuller family.”

The idea for Habitat for Humanity was born at Koinonia Farm, a Christian farming community founded in 1942 in rural southwest Georgia to be a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” Millard and Linda Fuller made their way to that demonstration plot in 1965.

By the time Millard Fuller turned 29, he had earned his first million dollars as an entrepreneur and attorney. But as his finances flourished, his health and marriage crumbled. To save their marriage, the Fullers decided to begin anew. They sold all that they owned, gave the money to the poor and in their searching, landed at Koinonia where they began soaking up the teachings of farmer, theologian and community founder Clarence Jordan.

In time, Jordan and Fuller launched a program of “partnership housing,” building simple houses in partnership with rural neighbors who were too poor to qualify for conventional home loans. The first house was dedicated in 1969 and others soon followed. In 1973, the Fullers took the concept of partnership housing to Africa. Within a few years, simple concrete-block homes were replacing unhealthy mud-and-thatch homes … and Millard Fuller had a bold idea: If partnership housing could improve lives in Georgia and Zaire, why not the rest of the world?

In 1976, the Fullers returned to the United States and launched Habitat for Humanity International. By the organization’s 25^th anniversary, tens of thousands of people were volunteering with Habitat and more than 500,000 people were living in Habitat homes.

Millard Fuller was a prolific writer, authoring 10 books. He had received more than 50 honorary degrees and in 1996 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In presenting the medal, President Bill Clinton said, “Millard Fuller has done as much to make the dream of homeownership a reality in our country and throughout the world as any living person.” Jack Kemp, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former HFHI board member agreed, adding, “When I’m asked about housing success stories from our inner cities, the first group that comes to mind is Habitat for Humanity.”

Among numerous other awards, Fuller was named to the National Housing Hall of Fame and had received the World Changer Award, the World Methodist Peace Award, the Norman Vincent Peale Award, the John W. Gardner Leadership Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award.

“Millard Fuller’s drive and relentless commitment to affordable housing captured people’s imagination and changed lives around the world,” said J. Ronald Terwilliger, chair of Habitat for Humanity’s International Board of Directors. “His inspiration lives on in Habitat’s work and through its employees, volunteers, partner families and supporters.  We extend our sincere condolences to the Fuller family and are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.” 

Chris Clarke
Senior Vice President
Marketing and Communications
Habitat for Humanity International

to 2474 Wilson Ave (off Hamilton Ave.) in Colerain Twp, 10:00 AM on January 31st, Snow or Shine.

Please join us as we celebrate the fun, hard work, and completion of this project with Bonnie & her family. She, along with her family, church friends, helpful professionals, and many Millcreek Valley Habitat for Humanity volunteers have done a great job of building this home in short order. Bonnie has worked very hard exceeding the required sweat equity hours, and is eager to continue to help future partner-families build the other five homes in the area.

This home will also be dedicated in memory of Nelson Hoskins who served Habitat, supplying many projects with materials and tools, so others could enjoy building with our partner-families. He did so with laughter and friendship to many around the site and at the warehouse.

Thanks in advance to the Friendship Baptist, Glendale Presbyterian, The  Vineyard and Other Churches for their support !!!!

So plan to bundle up and join us !!!!

Feel Free to Invite All Interested Persons !!!! Spread the Word !!!!

Refreshments and snacks will be served. Please give me a call if you have any questions or would like to help with the event.

If you do not have Flash you can see them directly by clicking here.
Enjoy!

Hey, the food is good, the price is right, and it ’s for a good cause. Last year the Key Club served the food and there were a lot door prizes.

To All:

This is a final reminder of the celebration event to be held on Saturday, July 26 beginning at 9:00 A.M. on Wilson Ave. in Colerain Township.  Food and refreshments will be available.

As announced previously, this event will serve a dual purpose.  First it will be an expression of gratitude to the members of the Ohio Contractors Association – Southwestern Ohio Chapter, who donated their services to construct the road extension.  Secondly it will celebrate the groundbreaking of a Blitz Build for the first of seven homes to be built on this street.  The construction of this home is being sponsored by Allied Construction Industries (ACI) and its members for the Mueller family.  The house is scheduled to be completed in only 3 weeks!

This is an historic occasion for Millcreek Valley Habitat for Humanity.  Wilson Ave. is the largest building project ever undertaken by our Millcreek Valley affiliate in its 19 year history.  It all began in 2004 with a vision to build a “Habitat Community” on vacant land at the end of Wilson Ave. in Colerain Township.  Negotiations for the purchase of 8 individual 25′ wide lots continued for almost 2 years.  These lots were located on the north side of a proposed road extension that would be needed to accommodate the new homes.  We finally closed on this purchase in June 2006.  While conducting the purchase negotiations, we designed a 200′ extension to the existing street that would enable us to build these homes on the acquired sites.  The road extension included the installation of storm sewers, water, sewer and gas lines, asphalt pavement, curbs and sidewalks.

In July of 2006 we received a Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) Grant that was awarded to us by HUD and Habitat for Humanity International.  This Grant helped us finance the purchase of the lots, design of the street extension, legal fees and other miscellaneous costs we incurred along the way.

In June of 2007, we closed on the purchase of 6 additional 25′ lots on the south side of the proposed street extension. Road construction was started in the fall of 2007 and continued in the spring of 2008.

And here we are, four years and hundreds of volunteer hours later, preparing to build our first home.  We sincerely appreciate the assistance received from all the volunteers and companies, too numerous to name individually, that have graciously donated and will continue to donate their time and money to our mission of providing simple, affordable homes to God’s people in need on this Wilson Ave. project.

God’s blessings to all of you.

Gary Vidmar
MVHFH Board Member & Volunteer

Allied Construction Industries (ACI) is a nonprofit trade association comprised of over 600 member companies who employ more than 30,000 individuals throughout Greater Cincinnati. Founded in 1929, ACI’s membership includes general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, developers, material suppliers and service providers to the construction industry.

The Kickoff meeting/party will be held on June 26, 2008, at 430 PM at its office. It should be fun. They are located at 3 Kovach Drive in Lockland. Here is a map to their office.

The tentative ground breaking date is July 19th at 900 AM on Wilson.

This year we are planning on building three houses on Wilson Ave. Here is an artist rendering of what we expect the houses and the street will look like. Click on the photo to go to Flickr photo page for larger photo sizes.

Please call if you have any questions.

Thanks for your assistance !!!!!

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