DeKalb High School Athletes Step Up to Serve at Fortify Home

Before they take the court or the field this season, student-athletes from DeKalb Central’s baseball and basketball teams are already proving what it means to be champions – both on and off the scoreboard.

Eighteen players arrived bright and early at Fortify Home this morning, rolling up their sleeves to move a large volume of furniture into newly finished rooms that will soon provide transitional housing for families overcoming homelessness and hardship.

“The furniture you are about to move in is for people who don’t even know they’ll have a room soon,” said Paul Kulhorst, Fortify Home Manager. “You are not just placing items in a space, you’re preparing a room that will change someone’s life. Thank you for being part of that.”

Under the guidance of first-year Coach Austin Ervin, the athletes relocated beds, dressers, desks, and chairs while lifting, sweating, and laughing alongside one another. For Coach Earvin, who has yet to coach his first game for the Barons, the day was about building character more than building muscle. 

“Our job as coaches is to give these kids opportunities to serve and help in our community," Ervin said. "We didn’t have to force these kids to help. We told them about the opportunity and a huge number of athletes offered to help right away. That’s what makes Barons’ special.”

The effort was made possible in part thanks to Van’s Home Center of Auburn, which generously donated storage space, transportation, and staff time to coordinate multiple deliveries of furniture despite not being the original retailer of the items. Their ongoing partnership with Fortify Home has ensured that rooms can be furnished with quality pieces quickly and respectfully.

Fortify Home, a program of Fortify Life, provides transitional housing and wraparound support services to families in crisis. The influx of furniture, now placed in newly finished rooms, means that more families can be welcomed into safe, dignified spaces in the coming weeks.

Sophomore Lucas Shaffer, a member of the basketball team, said it best: “It was good to support a good cause. I hadn’t heard of Fortify Life before, but I’m glad I came, and I had fun.”

This morning’s effort was a shining example of what makes DeKalb County strong: young leaders stepping up, local businesses stepping in, and the community stepping forward together.