It snowed and it snowed and it snowed.
Word from the tropics was tragic news when the earthquake hit Haiti January 12. As a housing ministry, the Fuller Center's global organization is getting ready to bring sturdy, affordable houses to Haitians who may never have had that before, and certainly need it now more than ever.
You can read more about efforts in Haiti here:
http://www.fullercenter.org/haiti
We hoped to send our executive director, Ed, and more team members to Haiti in March, but severe snowstorms have halted our efforts in our big project house in Terril, and for now, we need to dig out and get going again out there when it's passable and not too muddy.
The good news is, it's mostly inside work from here on out. And as the walls and floors come together on the inside, and the addition takes shape, the Jensen family will have a home to weather all the storms that may come in the future, and all the sunny days ahead, too.
Older daughter Alex will be in high school in the fall. Mary is starting to talk, her impish smile warming worried hearts surrounding her.
Lisa, the mom, looks forward to getting back to her community and to working with the elderly in assisted living and long term care homes. That's where her heart is, and she's great at it. Their series of temporary houses have worn on them, and we plan to work through the upcoming spring to get them into their house and enjoying their back porch by summer.
Can you help? Read about our beginnings and donate through the Fuller Center global organization here:
http://www.fullercenter.org/iowalakes
Contact Ed at 712-441-5437, email us at fullercenteriowalakes@gmail.com, or write us at P.O. Box 27, Fostoria, IA 51340.
Watch this video to learn more about the Fuller Center for Housing:
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, October 2, 2009
October 17! It's a Party! Be there!
Here's the deal: we received a generous grant from Lakes Area Land Trust to do the kitchen at our project house in Terril! Yay! Rock on! The challenge: if we don't complete the project by November 30, the money goes away. You wouldn't think that would be such a big deal, but we work one day a week, Saturday, and sometimes it is just the homeowner, Ed and me at the project site.
We need to get it together.
I thought my volunteer recruitment efforts were fruitless until today when I received not one, but two amazing emails!
1) The Spencer Women of Today are coming out to volunteer for us.
2) A new volunteer has come up with a fantastic promotion idea -- Tag, You're It -- to recruit more volunteer teams.
Tag, You're It is still in developmental stages, but basically we will promote it through the media and different industries around town, starting with Rhonda as a health care professional, will recruit teams from their employer or industry. Health care might tag auto sales, auto sales might tag restaurants, restaurants might tag...cough...law firms...until we have a whole community coming to their neighbor's aid.
That's what the Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes is all about. Volunteer labor, donated or at-cost supplies, more livable housing and better neighborhoods throughout the Iowa Lakes.
Are you ready to be tagged? You're it.
Step up -- show us what we're looking for!
We need to get it together.
I thought my volunteer recruitment efforts were fruitless until today when I received not one, but two amazing emails!
1) The Spencer Women of Today are coming out to volunteer for us.
2) A new volunteer has come up with a fantastic promotion idea -- Tag, You're It -- to recruit more volunteer teams.
Tag, You're It is still in developmental stages, but basically we will promote it through the media and different industries around town, starting with Rhonda as a health care professional, will recruit teams from their employer or industry. Health care might tag auto sales, auto sales might tag restaurants, restaurants might tag...cough...law firms...until we have a whole community coming to their neighbor's aid.
That's what the Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes is all about. Volunteer labor, donated or at-cost supplies, more livable housing and better neighborhoods throughout the Iowa Lakes.
Are you ready to be tagged? You're it.
Step up -- show us what we're looking for!
Monday, September 21, 2009
A year...
I just realized it's been a year since I started this blog. We had such hope and uncertainty a year ago. We have some now, but we're believing, hoping, enduring, celebrating, and most of all...doing!
Another Grant!
FULLER CENTER FOR HOUSING IOWA LAKES RECEIVES GRANT FROM LAKES COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
FOSTORIA -- The Fuller Center for Housing (FCH) -- Iowa Lakes was awarded a grant from the Lakes Community Land Trust to complete the kitchen at the project house in Terril, Iowa. FCH -- Iowa Lakes is the local covenant partner of The Fuller Center for Housing, a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing worldwide. 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 grant from Lakes Community Land Trust will allow FCH to complete the necessary wiring and plumbing work for the Terril house's kitchen, as well as install cabinets, purchase appliances, and and install flooring. The work will be completed by local volunteers working side by side with Lisa Jensen, the homeowner. "The Fuller Center for Housing was founded by the same family and on the same principles as Habitat for Humanity," Ed Peterson, FCH-Iowa Lakes Executive Director, said. "We don't give hand outs but rather a hand up to homeowners in need of repairs and remodels to make their homes livable."
FCH is also committed to working renewably and economically -- repurposing used or leftover materials when possible. The kitchen sink, refrigerator, lighting and cabinets have all been purchased from the ReNew store, a reclaimed building materials store in Spirit Lake.
"Donating to the Fuller Center for Housing is a wise choice for anyone's charitable funds," Amy Peterson, FCH-Iowa Lakes board secretary said. "We always work with low overhead and make the best use out of each dollar donated. We do all we can to treat our donors well and they can be confident that their donations are going toward mission, not miscellany."
The project house in Terril, Iowa began early in 2009 as a near-total remodel. Lisa Jensen, the homeowner, is a single mother of two daughters who had no one to help her repair and renovate her house. With donations from individuals and grant funds from two local organizations, the project has made substantial progress over the summer. However, more donations and volunteer hours are needed during the Fall to bring the project to completion.
"We've been very blessed and are very grateful for the support we have received from the community," Amy Peterson said. "We have hope we will continue to grow and develop in the year ahead."
FOSTORIA -- The Fuller Center for Housing (FCH) -- Iowa Lakes was awarded a grant from the Lakes Community Land Trust to complete the kitchen at the project house in Terril, Iowa. FCH -- Iowa Lakes is the local covenant partner of The Fuller Center for Housing, a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing worldwide. 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 grant from Lakes Community Land Trust will allow FCH to complete the necessary wiring and plumbing work for the Terril house's kitchen, as well as install cabinets, purchase appliances, and and install flooring. The work will be completed by local volunteers working side by side with Lisa Jensen, the homeowner. "The Fuller Center for Housing was founded by the same family and on the same principles as Habitat for Humanity," Ed Peterson, FCH-Iowa Lakes Executive Director, said. "We don't give hand outs but rather a hand up to homeowners in need of repairs and remodels to make their homes livable."
FCH is also committed to working renewably and economically -- repurposing used or leftover materials when possible. The kitchen sink, refrigerator, lighting and cabinets have all been purchased from the ReNew store, a reclaimed building materials store in Spirit Lake.
"Donating to the Fuller Center for Housing is a wise choice for anyone's charitable funds," Amy Peterson, FCH-Iowa Lakes board secretary said. "We always work with low overhead and make the best use out of each dollar donated. We do all we can to treat our donors well and they can be confident that their donations are going toward mission, not miscellany."
The project house in Terril, Iowa began early in 2009 as a near-total remodel. Lisa Jensen, the homeowner, is a single mother of two daughters who had no one to help her repair and renovate her house. With donations from individuals and grant funds from two local organizations, the project has made substantial progress over the summer. However, more donations and volunteer hours are needed during the Fall to bring the project to completion.
"We've been very blessed and are very grateful for the support we have received from the community," Amy Peterson said. "We have hope we will continue to grow and develop in the year ahead."
Monday, August 31, 2009
We have a grant! Yay!
Fuller Center Iowa Lakes -- we have had the love of the global organization, our friends and family, and God (not necessarily in that order.) Now we have the love of the greater community as well. FCH-Iowa Lakes received a grant from the Dickinson County Endowment! Praise! Thanks! Wow! Yay! Now that we're legit, isn't it time you came out to volunteer?
Life is Good!
Life is Good!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
You are cordially invited to an upscale luncheon...
This Saturday at 205 S 4th Street in Terril, Iowa (south end of town near the grain elevators) we will be having a very special luncheon around noon. Festivities start at 8 a.m. - ish with the exquisite sounds of hammers, saws, and possibly a house jack. If you've never seen a house lifted with a jack, this will be a must-see event.
By then we will have worked up an appetite, so we will have lunch brought in by noted, hip, local caterer (and Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes Vice President) T.Bruns.
After lunch, we will do a few more things with tools and building materials until 4 or 5 p.m. Mode is Open House, so if you can only make it for an hour or two, please do come and be our guest. Bring a date, bring a spouse, bring a family, bring a posse. Water and soft beverages will be served throughout the day.
The entire event is to make progress on a beautiful family home for a wonderful family and a great cause -- the Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes. Dress is extreme/work casual for this highly anticipated event.
All joking aside, I know the economy is tough, the outlook is rough, but in this day and age we can't depend on ourselves to get through. Interdependence, as far as I can see, is the only way we will survive these challenging times. God tells us to take care of one another.
Now more than ever, we need everyone, we need your help, and we need each other.
By then we will have worked up an appetite, so we will have lunch brought in by noted, hip, local caterer (and Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes Vice President) T.Bruns.
After lunch, we will do a few more things with tools and building materials until 4 or 5 p.m. Mode is Open House, so if you can only make it for an hour or two, please do come and be our guest. Bring a date, bring a spouse, bring a family, bring a posse. Water and soft beverages will be served throughout the day.
The entire event is to make progress on a beautiful family home for a wonderful family and a great cause -- the Fuller Center for Housing -- Iowa Lakes. Dress is extreme/work casual for this highly anticipated event.
All joking aside, I know the economy is tough, the outlook is rough, but in this day and age we can't depend on ourselves to get through. Interdependence, as far as I can see, is the only way we will survive these challenging times. God tells us to take care of one another.
Now more than ever, we need everyone, we need your help, and we need each other.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Free Ice Water!
FREE ICE WATER! That's right. Sodas and other goodies, plus an amazing lunch awaits you in Terril on Saturday. It's going to be a hot one so we will try to start at 7 and we'll go as long as it makes sense. Free food and drink, helping a neighbor in need, is the beach and boat really more fun than that? No! Volunteer for Fuller Center Iowa Lakes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
