Derryll Anderson grew up on Church Street next door to the church and across the street from the park. Over the years, she moved away but remained active in the heart and soul of Fayetteville. This spring, she will return to Church Street thanks to help from Square Foot Ministry and an army of friends and loved ones, who not only donated money toward her new house, but who also helped physically build it.
Fayetteville-based Square Foot Ministry has been doing this for decades: helping people build their own home when they would otherwise not be able to afford it. In fact, their first-ever build was on Church Street, just across the street and down a bit from where Ms. Derryll’s is currently under construction. So, while it is a homecoming for Ms. Derryll, it is a homecoming for Square Foot Ministry as well.
Some may recall that Ms. Derryll’s life story was highlighted in a special Black History Month video produced and published by the City of Fayetteville in February 2023. Then, she told how her parents met and settled on Church Street, her father building their family home by hand. The Anderson Family was influential, not only among Fayetteville’s Black population, but also among the wider community. Ms. Derryll has carried that legacy with her over the decades while serving as a community activist, elections poll worker, voter registration advocate, and Fayetteville Planning & Zoning Commission member.
These days, Ms. Derryll works part-time as an information clerk at Fayetteville City Hall, greeting all who enter and assisting those in need of direction.
Over the last few years, work colleagues learned of Ms. Derryll’s housing needs, and they helped her connect with Square Foot Ministry. Julie Brown, the City’s Planning & Zoning Manager, was particularly helpful in garnering support from fellow staffers and…
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