Fuller Center's Walk For Homes: A Success To Anchor A Vital Campaign

LARCHMONT, NY — A weekend of fellowship will help build a foundation on which a community can be built one home at a time.

The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater NYC celebrated the 23rd anniversary of its annual "Walk for Homes" fundraising event in Larchmont on Sunday, raising over $20,000. And, never in the last few decades have the organization's particular needs been quite so urgent.

As cold weather begins to settle on the Sound Shore, the New Rochelle-based chapter of the group is especially dedicated to help local families, seniors and veterans afford homes in the greater NYC area. Sunday's walk will help to support those efforts.

"The Walk for Homes Now was a great success," Jim Killoran, CEO of Fuller Center of Greater New York, said. "Many came out from far and wide from all faiths and no faiths, all ages, to begin the real campaign, that all should be able to live simply and decently on terms they can afford to pay!"

Sunday's "Walk for Homes" was organized in conjunction with The Catholic Committee of Larchmont, the Larchmont Rotary, Trinity Church, Knights of Columbus, Eastchester High School, Manhattan's Columbia Prep A Team, School of the Holy Child, and the Mamaroneck High School Fuller Club.

This year's walk was more than a fundraising effort — it was a celebration with a few special guests of honor.

• Anne Avenius: a senior who has volunteered for 30 years building homes. She was honored with her awardee recipient Lauren Mancini.
• Jim Lasser: a Vietnam vet, "It's A Miracle" commander, who has helped Fuller build homes for and with vets for years. He helped lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Danny Anderson: a veteran homeowner who will celebrate paying off his last mortgage payment, interest-free, with Fuller this month. He thanked all those who helped him.

Killoran told Patch about how "the exodus" continues as New York is the number one state where people leave.

"We love NY and the tri state and want to see homes, interest-free, no down payment, like we see our homeowners Danny pay off this month," he explained. "Homeownership, lower taxes for seniors and vets, and Gen Zs need homes! The exodus has to stop, with real affordable homeownership!"

Support for Fuller Center NY's vital work also helps disaster flood homes in New York and Connecticut.

"Our DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) team is rehabbing flood homes in Greenburgh, and helping give out sandbags (1600 giving out so far) as well as helping many families rehab homes devastastated in Connecticut, " Killoran told Patch. "In Naugutuck, Oxford, Southbury."

The Fuller Center will help move a family back into their home this week.

Killoran said the organization is honoring the founding of Fuller Center 20 years ago, by kicking off a year-long campaign into 2025. The campaign will increase homeownership, increase Fuller's rehabs and "God's Greater Blessing programs" of seniors and vets, and strengthen the organization's disaster response capacity.

"This is where we began, this town and community. Families have moved into their homes, a tiny home and award-winning flood homes," Killoran said. "We have also rehabbed homes from Irene and Ida here many times. And see this is a Ground Zero for us to kick off our campaign."

You can still donate by simply texting "WE BUILD" to 44321 or going to the website here.

Find out more about the Fuller Center on their website.