We’ve all heard that giving is better than receiving, but do we actually practice what we preach? Since 2019, the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing People has been serving our community and asking nothing in return.
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| Since its inception in 2019, the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing has completed 45 projects and currently has 14 ongoing projects for those in need in the area. All of the labor is performed by volunteers who want to give back to the community. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
McBride is a board member and treasurer for Sebago Fuller Housing, and he coordinates the project work and work with the families that they help.
Bruni is the chair and board president, and she is responsible to pull all the pieces together, family committee, volunteer committee, executive committee, public relations and marketing. Her role is to make sure that all of the pieces are working well together as well as speaking and telling the story and responding to requests of anyone who needs their assistance. Each day is new and very different and comes with its own challenges.
Since their start in 2019, the Fuller Center has completed 45 projects and currently has 14 ongoing projects. Their biggest project is to help a family whose 19-year-old son was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down and he has no way to get in and out of the house.
“There had to be a ramp put on, but before a ramp could be put on, the deck of the house had to be raised seven inches,” says Bruni. “So, we tore the old deck down, built a new deck that was raised seven inches, and then worked with Alpha One to get the ramp. We then put the railings back on and painted the deck for them, but there is still some work left to be done on this project.”
They’ve also been doing lots of roof repairs as well as inside work.
More and more people are finding out what the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing People is doing for our community.
“As we are getting our name out there, we are receiving more and more requests from people every day,” says Bruni. “The awareness continues to build; more people are telling others about who we are and what we do.”
As the Fuller Center receives more applications, they work to prioritize which projects need to be done first.
“The young man who needed the ramp was in Boston Hospital and coming home, so that project moved up on our priority list because of the immediacy,” says Bruni.
All of the labor for all of the projects is free, unless there is a contractor or special expertise needed.
“The families that we support give back to the community by contributing what they are able to contribute to the cost of material,” Bruni says. “It’s called a greater blessing; it’s not a hand-out, it’s a hand up. They are paying it forward to help with another project.”
There are many ways that the community can help.
“We are currently raising funds for a $20,000 community campaign to raise funds for materials,” says Bruni. “We also have a gala celebrating our fifth anniversary on Oct. 1, and we are looking for action items for that gala, as well as advertisers for our program and donations. We are always in need of volunteers and someone who can refer a contractor to us; there are many needs and many ways that the community can help out.”
Bruni says that she is very proud of the team that has been working together since 2019 and is thankful for everyone who has helped.
“We are continuing to build the organization, continuing to raise awareness, and we are truly making an impact in the Windham, Raymond, and Standish communities,” says Bruni. “I feel so blessed to be a part of this.” <
They’ve also been doing lots of roof repairs as well as inside work.
More and more people are finding out what the Sebago Lakes Region Fuller Center for Housing People is doing for our community.
“As we are getting our name out there, we are receiving more and more requests from people every day,” says Bruni. “The awareness continues to build; more people are telling others about who we are and what we do.”
As the Fuller Center receives more applications, they work to prioritize which projects need to be done first.
“The young man who needed the ramp was in Boston Hospital and coming home, so that project moved up on our priority list because of the immediacy,” says Bruni.
All of the labor for all of the projects is free, unless there is a contractor or special expertise needed.
“The families that we support give back to the community by contributing what they are able to contribute to the cost of material,” Bruni says. “It’s called a greater blessing; it’s not a hand-out, it’s a hand up. They are paying it forward to help with another project.”
There are many ways that the community can help.
“We are currently raising funds for a $20,000 community campaign to raise funds for materials,” says Bruni. “We also have a gala celebrating our fifth anniversary on Oct. 1, and we are looking for action items for that gala, as well as advertisers for our program and donations. We are always in need of volunteers and someone who can refer a contractor to us; there are many needs and many ways that the community can help out.”
Bruni says that she is very proud of the team that has been working together since 2019 and is thankful for everyone who has helped.
“We are continuing to build the organization, continuing to raise awareness, and we are truly making an impact in the Windham, Raymond, and Standish communities,” says Bruni. “I feel so blessed to be a part of this.” <
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