Levenia Furusa honored at mid-court during a recent Celtics game.

After witnessing firsthand the challenges low-income families in her community faced when seeking access to food, Lowell resident Levenia Furusa took matters into her own hands.

In 2009, she built a food pantry in her basement; the more groceries she distributed, the more people would come for support.

What originally started as a volunteer activity has turned into a full-fledged organization, the Dwelling House of Hope (DHoH), with an army of staff who provide vital services to over 7,000 families each month throughout the Merrimack Valley.

In addition to distributing food, DHoH extends support to non-English speaking immigrants in the region by offering educational materials through its Back-to-School backpack campaign and various community programs aimed at facilitating their integration into new surroundings.

For her efforts to eliminate hunger and poverty in the Merrimack Valley and in celebration of Women’s History Month, Levenia Furusa was honored as a Hero Among Us on Friday, March 1, 2024, during the Celtics home game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Since its establishment in 1997 by the Boston Celtics, the Heroes Among Us program has recognized outstanding individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to their communities.

The award is presented at every Celtics home game and pays tribute to the heroic achievements of these outstanding citizens.

Just this past January, the Celtics honored the Florence family of Lowell for their efforts.