April 28, 2005 | Read Time: 3 minutes
In a move that could prompt a legal battle, Millard Fuller, the founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International, who was fired from his position three months ago, has established a new organization with a similar mission and name.
Mr. Fuller has announced the creation of Building Habitat, which will raise money and recruit volunteers for Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other housing groups. The new organization plans to officially open its headquarters next month in Americus, Ga., the same town where Habitat for Humanity is based, and begin a search to fill 15 staff positions.
But Habitat for Humanity hopes to block Mr. Fuller’s organization.
While Habitat for Humanity supports any charity that wants to build homes for poor people, Mr. Fuller’s efforts will sow confusion among donors and Habitat for Humanity beneficiaries, said Chris Clarke, a spokesman for the group. Last month, Habitat for Humanity’s trademark lawyer sent Mr. Fuller a letter outlining the group’s concerns.
“Our brand is one of the strongest for any nonprofit in the country,” Mr. Clarke said. “That’s an asset we want to defend.”
Not Trademark Issue
Despite the legal warning, Mr. Fuller said he will continue with his plans. “We’re not infringing on anyone’s trademark” by using the word “habitat,” he said. “It’s like the word ‘tree.’ It’s a generic word.”
What’s more, Mr. Fuller said, his group is not competing with Habitat for Humanity because there will be plenty of work — and donors — for both groups. “The need is enormous,” he said. And “there’s no shortage of funds.”
Indeed, Mr. Fuller has already raised $1.8-million in pledges with minimal effort. The commitments include $1-million over five years from Paul Amos, co-founder of the Aflac Insurance Company, in Columbus, Ga. Half of the gift will support housing efforts in Columbus and the remainder can go anywhere Building Habitat wants to put it, Mr. Fuller said.
Mr. Fuller said he has raised funds for local affiliates from “people who are disillusioned with Habitat for Humanity.”
But so far, his former organization has not felt any financial loss. “We’ve seen no impact on fund raising,” Mr. Clarke said.
Mr. Fuller was fired in January by the executive committee of Habitat for Humanity International’s board following a nearly year-long investigation into allegations that he had engaged in inappropriate conduct with a female former employee (The Chronicle, February 17).
The board said it found “insufficient evidence” to back up the allegations. But it decided to fire Mr. Fuller for continuing to make public comments about the matter that were “disruptive to the organization’s work.” Mr. Fuller’s wife, Linda, who served in an untitled but salaried position, also was fired.
Mr. Fuller denies any wrongdoing and said the board removed him because he and the board disagreed on how to run the group.
The members of the board want to run Habitat for Humanity like a “corporate bureaucracy” that takes slow steps as it grows, he said. In contrast, Mr. Fuller said, he wanted the group to be a “ministry” that expands quickly into new countries.
