To learn more about No Roof Left Behind, go to www.noroofleftbehind.com
As people across the country were losing their homes, two contractors in Detroit couldn’t watch their hometown suffer and not do something.
Detroit was the hardest hit area in The Great Recession, and brothers Matt and Jay Elie of Ridgecon Construction realized that people who could keep their homes in the downturn weren’t able to afford the upkeep.
“(Jay) saw the problem and wanted to do something,” said Dena Elie, who is in charge of member development at No Roof Left Behind.
Jay Elie launched No Roof Left Behind in 2008 to give new roofs to deserving families. But, how to decide who would receive a new roof became a problem. So No Roof Left Behind started asking for nominations from the local community to learn of families who needed a hand.
The nonprofit partnered with GAF, the largest manufacturer of shingles in the United States, which helped rally local contractors who jumped at the chance to be involved and give back. In 2013, the nonprofit grew national legs and spread around the country.
It reached Georgia through local roofing company, North Ridge Roofing in Woodstock.
Andy Rothschild, president of North Ridge Roofing, and his partners had been looking for ways to get involved in the community. “It is important to help others who are not as fortunate as ourselves. We also feel that it is our duty as good citizens to help in the community,” said Rothschild. “The No Roof Left Behind program seemed right up our alley. What better way for us to help someone in need than to provide them with a new roof? Being that is our business, it made logical sense.”
The contest was held locally for the first time in January. Terrell and Christy King of Acworth were the winners.
“It was unbelievable, and we never win anything,” said Christy. Her husband had been laid off, and even with a new job, their budget couldn’t handle an overdue roof repair. “Our roof is over 20 years old and it was starting to leak and getting a new roof from this contest and all the other repairs was a real blessing, more than we expected or could even ask for.”
To make the project extra special, North Ridge Roofing collaborated with their partners and gave the King Family new gutters from Georgia Gutter Services; a new furnace and AC unit from Reliable Heating & Air; duct cleaning by Advanta Clean; painting done by Lonestar Painting; and a yard cleanup by Aspen Meadows Landscaping.
“We wanted to make sure that the family who won received everything that they needed and couldn’t afford to do on their own. So, that meant going beyond the roof. We are fortunate to be blessed with so many friends who wanted to give back so wholeheartedly,” added Rothschild.
To date, No Roof Left Behind has worked on approximately 70 homes in Detroit and numerous homes around the country. Along with North Ridge Roofing, Dr. Roof and Atlanta Roofing Specialists are also a part of the give back program.
In other news: Street Grace coordinated with Metro Atlanta churches, organizations, businesses and community volunteers on March 29 to contribute 1,000 bags of food to Communities In Schools of Atlanta at Brookhaven Christian Church. Each bag contained two days worth of food for 1,000 students within Fulton and DeKalb county public school systems. Street Grace is a faith-based organization leading churches, community organizations and individual volunteers to end domestic minor sex trafficking.
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