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LANETT — The Chattahoochee Fuller Center Project (CFCP) is planning on build a new home in Valley this summer. It will be going up on Harmon Street in the Rehobeth Heights area, not far from four existing Fuller Center homes that were built several years ago.

“We’re excited about going back to Valley to build,” said CFCP Executive Director Robin Pierre. “A mission team from the New Oregon Methodist Church in Fort Payne, Alabama will be coming back this summer to help us with this project. They were with us last year to help build the senior duplex home in Plant City. They will be here again the week of June 9-15. We want to thank our host church, Rehobeth Baptist, for agreeing to provide a place to stay for our mission team when they are here. They have been a host church before and did a great job.”

The home on Harmon Street will be the 81st one built by the CFCP since 2007. In addition to the senior duplex, the CFCP built three new homes in Opelika in 2023. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller was cousins with Fuller Center founder Millard Fuller and is most pleased to have Fuller Center homes in Opelika. The three new homes that went up last year are on Dover Street, Jeter Avenue and Raintree Street.

“We will be building three more new homes in Opelika next year,” Pierre said.

The City of Opelika is providing substantial funding for the builds that take place there.

The CFCP is looking to partner with the Chambers County Circle of Care Center for Families on a transitional home for single mothers. At some point, this new construction could be going up in the Rehobeth Heights area. “God is good,” Pierre said. “It is amazing what he can do. He brings back hope when we can do such projects.”

In addition to the Fort Payne group, local volunteers will be working with the Harmon Street project. A volunteer group from the Church of the Highlands in Auburn will be coming here to do some needed painting for the new home.

The CFCP was formed in 2007 with the ambitious goal of building affordable housing and changing neighborhoods in the Greater Valley Area and nearby areas in Alabama and Georgia. Fuller Center founder Millard Fuller (1935-2009) was born in Lanett and spent his formative years in the Valley.

This is Pierre’s first year as the executive director of the CFCP. Long time director Kim Roberts retired from the position at the end of 2023. She remains with the organization working with Fuller Center families and helping out at the ReUse Store on Gilmer Avenue in Lanett. “I miss her not being here every day,” Pierre said. “but she’s always just a phone call away. She’s still very much a great asset to our organization.”