A University of Mississippi Police dispatcher and her daughter will soon have a brand new home in Oxford, thanks to the Oxford chapter of the Fuller Center for Housing.

Bria Brown, 33, and her 8-year-old daughter, Zion Brown, were selected by the Fuller Center to be the recipients of the latest home built for a local family who may not otherwise be able to buy their own home.

Brown lives in Holly Springs and has worked for UPD since November 2022. Before that, she worked as a dispatcher with Marshall County E911.

The house, located on Brandywine Drive in the Brittany Woods subdivision, will be built with the support of volunteers from across the country, who will arrive in Oxford from April 14-18 for an intensive build week. By the end of that week, the house will be near completion.

Brown said she and her daughter, who also have their own business together called ZiTeesAndMore, are looking forward to moving to Oxford.

“We are excited about the opportunity for her to get a new experience with a new school and meet some amazing new people,” Brown said. “She’s my mini-bestfriend, and I have a dream to give her the world and more.”

The organization, which transitioned from Habitat for Humanity in 2022, has been building and restoring homes for local families since 1987.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Fuller Center for Housing, an organization founded by Millard and Linda Fuller after they departed from Habitat for Humanity, which they also started. To commemorate this milestone, the Oxford chapter has designated its latest home construction as a “Legacy Build” in honor of the Fullers’ dedication to affordable housing.

“I remind myself every day since I got the call that this is a blessing for us,” Brown said. “We have our own house. We are both very thankful, grateful, and happy for this opportunity from the Fuller Center.”

Earlier this year, Fuller Center announced it would be awarding the home to a first responder who met three key criteria: financial need, willingness to contribute “sweat equity” by working on the home’s construction, and the ability to sustain a mortgage.

Brown will receive a 30-year, zero-interest mortgage with payments lower than the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Oxford.