Nathan Adams and his daughter, Lyndsay, have faced some challenging times in recent years. “We live in a mobile home and it gets cold,” he said.
Adams wanted a better life for himself and his daughter, who is a special needs individual. Now, thanks to a local partner of a national philanthropic organization, this family will have a home of their own; a two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,040-square-foot residence on a generously sized lot.
Retired construction professional Tom Rogers, a representative of the Fuller Center Nature Coast, a covenant partner of the Fuller Center for Housing, has spearheaded the building of a home for Nathan and Lyndsay Adams in Weeki Wachee. From January 11-13, the Fuller Center Bike Adventure Group (a volunteer arm of the Fuller Center) visited Weeki Wachee to provide community awareness, financial support and manual labor to this very special construction project. “Nathan and Lyndsay are dear friends of mine from the Christian Church in the Wildwood in Weeki Wachee,” Rogers explained. “This is a labor of love involving some very special people.”
The Fuller Center for housing is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing worldwide. By forming partnerships with local organizations, the Fuller Center provides structure, guidance and support to build homes for people in need. The organization was founded in 2005 by Millard and Linda Fuller, founders of Habitat for Humanity. Now the Fuller Center has grown to include more than 90 communities and 19 countries around the world. Fuller has built more than 6,000 homes–all of which were built with the cooperation of homeowners, who gave sweat equity hours and repaid building costs on their own terms. “Fuller provides a hand-up,” Rogers explained, “not a handout.”
Rogers became involved in the Fuller Center four years ago, when he helped to initiate the housing project on behalf of his good friends Nathan and Lyndsay. “This project has given new meaning for my life,” he said. “I love this work and, after many delays, January 12th was the date we were all working together building the walls for Nathan and Lyndsay’s new home and helping to make their dreams come true.”
Helping out for this build were numerous volunteers, including representatives of Church in the Wildwood and passersby who stopped to help, Nathan and Lyndsay Adams, and members of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure Group; PJ the DJ provided entertainment, and refreshments were served.
Neil Mullikin, a representative of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure Group was present for this build. He also biked with fellow volunteers from Georgia to participate in several previous Fuller builds, in Weeki Wachee and Tallahassee.
“We feel called by God to do this work,” said Mullikin. “It’s a dream and a prayer come true to help these families. It’s changing the lives of the people we’re serving.” Nathan Adams agrees. He shared, “My daughter and I feel blessed, wonderful and thankful.”
Tom Rogers wishes to thank Christian Church in the Wildwood, The Fuller Center for Housing, Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure group, Charlie’s Plumbing (which donated all plumbing fixtures and labor needed for the project), A.W.S., Corbin’s Custom Designs (for taking the lead on the build), ABC Warehouse and Owen Corning (for donating shingles), and all build volunteers.
For more information about The Fuller Center for Housing, visit https://fullercenter.org/.
