Volunteers help refurbish home for single mother in Americus

AMERICUS, Ga. (WALB) - A group of volunteers from Idaho are in southwest Georgia right now to help a mother and her four kids move into an affordable home.

Some of the people working on a home spend almost the entire day Thursday traveling to get here. And they’ll spend two days working on this home, to get as much work done as they can.

There is a certain criterion to qualify for a new home, including the families accumulating volunteer hours.

Jody Wave is the President of Americus Sumter Fuller Center for Housing. — Jody Wave is the President of Americus Sumter Fuller Center for Housing.(Source: WALB)

“First, there’s a formula based on the number of people in the family, and it’s based on the poverty rate for our area. And then we offer our services as a hand up, not a handout, and families pitch in and help and get volunteer hours in and what we call sweat equity,” said Jody Wade, President of Americus Sumter Fuller Center for Housing.

Continuing Millard Fuller’s legacy is what the Hope Project seeks to expand upon.

Steve Liebenthal is a part of the Building Hope Project based out of Boise, Idaho. — Steve Liebenthal is a part of the Building Hope Project based out of Boise, Idaho.(Source: WALB)

“Millard Fuller is really the pioneer of affordable housing. His idea was that anyone living in this country should have a decent, safe, affordable place to live,” said Steve Liebenthal from Building Hope Project.

Taking ownership of anything is an accomplishment worth achieving.

“When we found out the need here, when we found out that this mother had this need and there has been one person working on this project for three weeks by himself. Now there are 16 people out here all working together to make this happen as quickly as we possibly can,” said Liebenthal.

Paul Harvey is a local volunteer for Americus Fuller Center for Housing, who was working on the house by himself for three weeks before the Hope Project arrived.

Paul Harvey is a volunteer for the Fuller Center for Housing- Americus — Paul Harvey is a volunteer for the Fuller Center for Housing- Americus(Source: WALB)

“I decided to volunteer because I like construction. I like to work with my hands I like to paint, I just like to build things and I’m just thankful to be here, to see these people here help me learn construction and it’s just a blessing,” said Paul Harvey a local volunteer.

This is only a start. Once the crew leaves, they will need the support of the community to finish the project.

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