June 9, 2005 | Read Time: 1 minute
Millard Fuller, founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International, last month renamed his new housing charity to avoid a legal battle with his former organization.
At the opening of the new group’s headquarters in Americus, Ga., Mr. Fuller announced that the charity’s name would be the Fuller Center for Housing, not Building Habitat, as he had previously announced. The Fuller Center will raise money for Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other charities that build housing for poor families. Since Mr. Fuller began raising money three months ago, he has received $2-million in pledges and donations.
Habitat for Humanity, also in Americus, sued Mr. Fuller last month in federal court, arguing that the name Building Habitat would confuse donors and infringe on Habitat for Humanity’s trademarked name.
Though he considered “habitat” a generic word, Mr. Fuller said, “many people convinced me the name was not worth a long, expensive, protracted legal battle.”
Mr.Fuller said he was reluctant to name the new group after himself, but “my name has brand value.”
Habitat for Humanity welcomed Mr. Fuller’s decision as “a very positive step,” Chris Clarke, a spokesman for Habitat, said in an e-mail message.
But despite the name change, Habitat is continuing its lawsuit against Mr. Fuller. “There are outstanding issues involving how Millard Fuller represents his organization and his involvement with fund raising and Habitat for Humanity,” Mr. Clarke said.
Habitat for Humanity’s board fired Mr. Fuller in January following an investigation into allegations that he had engaged in inappropriate conduct with a former female employee. The board dismissed the allegations, but it said Mr. Fuller’s continuing public comments on the matter were detrimental to Habitat for Humanity (The Chronicle, February 17).
