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MURFREESBORO – The name above the door may be different now, but the goal remains the same.

The Fuller Center for Housing Reuse Store – which was previously known as the Habitat for Humanity ReStore – in Murfreesboro held a ribbon cutting event on Dec. 14 to celebrate their reopening under the new name.

The name recognizes their affiliation switch to the Fuller Center of Housing nonprofit organization, based in Americus, GA. It was founded in 2005 by Millard and Linda Fuller, who also founded Habitat for Humanity decades earlier.

The Fuller Center for Housing builds and repairs homes in over 80 US communities and more than 20 countries worldwide. Homeowners are full partners in the building process, contributing sweat equity as they work alongside volunteers and then repaying the cost of materials on terms they can afford, with no interest charged or profit made. Those repayments stay in the local community to help others get the same hand-up.

More than 5,000 families have partnered with The Fuller Center to receive assistance.

Eukita Sessoms, who serves as president of the Hertford County Fuller Center, said the main reason they made the switch was because of the organization’s emphasis on local decision-making rather than a more bureaucratic approach.

“The Fuller Center believes that local leaders are in the best position to decide what our community needs and the most effective ways to address those needs,” she said. “They provide assistance and expertise while we promise to adhere to the straightforward, grassroots, Christian principles that guide the work.”

As they have in the past, the local organization will continue to build affordable houses for Hertford County citizens.

“We’re still looking for volunteers. We’re still accepting donations. We’re looking for board members. And we’re looking for all the support we can have, so we can continue as a successful organization in this community,” Sessoms concluded.

The Fuller Center store in Murfreesboro operates the same as it did previously. Items are donated from the community to be sold, and customers browse the shelves in order to find things they’d like to purchase. The variety of items available include books, home and seasonal décor, toys, other household items, furniture, and much more.

Proceeds from purchases at the store go towards the organization’s housing projects.

“We are proud to have this place in our town,” said Murfreesboro Mayor Hal Thomas at the ribbon-cutting event. “Thank you for the work you do.”

Thomas said that people can find a lot of good items browsing around the store, and he thanked the volunteers for their countless hours of work.

The store is located at 117 W. Main Street, Murfreesboro. They accept donations of household goods, appliances, furniture, children’s toys, and men’s/women’s accessories (no clothing). All donated items should be in good conditions. They do not accept older model televisions.

Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

The store’s winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. In the summer, those hours are extended until 5 p.m. on the same days.

For more information, call Joyce Hutchinson, Store Manager, or Eukita Sessoms, Board President, at 252-396-0696.