BCFCH seeks volunteers for home build
BONNERS FERRY — The Boundary County Fuller Center for Housing is seeking additional volunteers to help with this year's build.
Each year, the Fuller House Center, formerly Habitat for Humanity, selects a local family with housing needs, including remodels, repairs, and house building. Tiffani Beggerly and her six children are the newest partner family and are part of the 2023-2024 build.
BCFCH has been a part of Boundary County since 1993, first as a Habitat for Humanity affiliate and then as a Fuller Center affiliate since 2017.
“We are looking for both skilled and unskilled volunteers every Saturday in July,” Teresa Rae, president of BCFCH, said. “If you have a framing nailer that you can bring along with an air hose, that would be even better.”
Every Saturday in July, volunteers will be working from 8 a.m. to noon on the house, 6719 Spokane St. near the hospital.
Since 1993, the non-profit has built 10 homes, averaging one every two or so years in the last 10 years, Rae said.
“Through the generous donations of time, energy, sweat, tears, goods, and services of county residents and beyond,” she said.
The average BCFCH home is around 1,300 square feet and is customized to the needs of each family.
“We are able to provide interest-free, tailored, revolving fund mortgages through our own affiliate that allows families in need in our own county to afford home ownership,” Rae said.
BCFCH requires at least 500 hours of sweat equity from our partner families that ensure they are vested in the program, have a working knowledge of basic home ownership upkeep tasks, and are ready for the responsibilities of owning a home.
Two BCFCH partner families paid off their mortgages in 2023. Sharlene Lyle, who became a BCFCH partner family homeowner in 2008, paid off her home in March of this year. Peggy Clark, who became a BCFCH partner family 15 years ago as well, now owns her home free and clear as of August.
Organizers thanked local businesses, such as BF Builders, Turner Plumbing and Winc Inc., Idaho Forestry Group, for their donations of products and time.
The Beggerly family is the newest family partners with BCFCH and are in the process of building their new home.