On Saturday, January 31, the Fuller Center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its East Campus to celebrate the arrival of a new 77-passenger bus that will significantly enhance transportation services for children served by the nonprofit that focuses on children 6 weeks old to 22 years old.
The event was attended by members of the Fuller Center Board of Directors, the Executive Leadership Team, and officials from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose generous grant made the purchase of the bus possible. The celebration marked an important milestone in the growing partnership between the two organizations.
“This bus is more than transportation—it’s a symbol of neighbors helping neighbors. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes faith is something you live out, and partnering with the Fuller Center allows us to put love into motion in a very real, practical way. When we serve together, walls come down, friendships form, and the whole community moves forward. We are so happy to support the Fuller Center in its aim to empower families in our area. We believe families are the most basic and most important unit in the world, and we are thrilled with the way the Fuller Center serves families throughout the community,” said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Local Stake President Donald Kelly.
The new bus, which cost $150,000, replaces aging vehicles in the Fuller Center’s fleet that had become increasingly unreliable and costly to maintain. Transportation is a critical part of the Fuller Center’s mission, as buses are used daily to pick up children from 10 local schools and bring them safely to the Center’s Out-of-School-Time program.
This program provides a safe and structured environment for more than 1100 children. In addition to keeping children safe, the Out-of-School Time program offers daily homework help, a new literacy intervention initiative, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities. These include STEM-focused activities and instruction in string instruments, among many other learning experiences. Each child also receives dinner every day, as food and nutrition are an essential component of the Fuller Center’s holistic approach to serving children and families.
“We are deeply grateful for this significant grant and the new partnership it represents. Strong community support makes our work possible and allows the Fuller Center to create meaningful, lasting impact for hardworking families and their children. While this may appear to be just a bus, to us it is truly a vehicle for opportunity—ensuring children can access our award-winning programs and reach their full potential. Without reliable transportation, many students simply would not be able to participate,” said Fuller Center CEO Eric Roby.
This grant represents the first time the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided funding to the Fuller Center. Over the past two years, the organizations have worked together to better understand how to align resources and support the Fuller Center’s mission in a meaningful and sustainable way.
With the addition of this new bus, the Fuller Center is better equipped to continue providing reliable transportation, high-quality programming, and essential resources to children and families throughout the community.
For more information about the Fuller Center and its programs, visit https://www.fullercenterfl.org/.
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