LaGrange working to build new home for mother of slain child

The Chatthoochee Fuller Center Project (CFCP) and the LaGrange community are working to build a new home for the mother of Demarrion Carter, who was shot and killed outside his home on April 11.

The nonprofit is seeking donations to build a new home for his mom, Shantavia Henderson,  who is grieving the loss of her 14-year-old son. Henderson understandably can’t bring herself to stay in the home where the tragic incident occurred.

The Fuller Center for Housing was created by Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity. When Fuller left Habitat, he started a new nonprofit with similar goals of building low-income affordable housing. Fuller was born and raised in Lanett. To give back to the community, CFCP was formed in 2007 to build affordable housing in the Greater Valley Area.

CFCP Director Robin Pierre said when she and Kim Roberts, former CFCP director, heard about the tragic death of Demarrion from Jerome Cofield, who had been mentoring the teen at Empowerment 3D, and how she couldn’t bear to go back to where her son was killed, they knew they had to build her a house.

Roberts and Pierre then began reaching out to the community, and it didn’t take long to start getting the help they needed.

LaGrange Councilwoman and homebuilder Darby Pippin agreed to handle the contracting work. LaGrange Housing Authority CEO Zsa Zsa Heard stepped up to help provide the land needed. One company is providing HVAC for the home, and another has offered to put on the roof.

Pierre said they have already received donations of $30,000, which puts them halfway there, and donations continue to come in.

The project still needs workers, both skilled carpenters and non-skilled workers, to volunteer their time to help build the home. Pastor Michael Jackson has volunteered his church, Confidence Missionary Baptist Church, to serve as the home base for the project, where volunteers will gather for a morning breakfast devotion and return for lunch provided by local churches.

The project is expected to take about two weeks, and they are hoping to get started in June.

For more information or to donate or volunteer, call CFCP at 978-406-1549. Donations can also be sent to The Fuller Center at  Post Office Box 737, West Point, Georgia.