Kindness Takes a Village to Provide This Veteran a New Roof

By Dani Sheehan. 

Three area organizations teamed up to provide a veteran with a new roof in one central Texas city. 

When National Guard veteran Gladys Jones received a knock on her door, she didn’t yet know she was getting a new roof at no cost. The Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity funded the project and Texas Traditions Roofing showed up to start bringing in supplies before Dave Farris with Habitat for Humanity could give her the good news. Dave is the veteran engagement construction resource specialist and, in his efforts to give back to the veteran community, he did inspections around the neighborhood. Just driving by Gladys’ home, he could see the roof badly needed repairing and was missing shingles. 

Living on a fixed income, Gladys knew she wouldn’t be able to afford a roof replacement, despite the fact it was original to the house built in 1999. Due to its age, her homeowner's insurance provided no assistance. During an interview with the local Killeen Daily Herald, Gladys said she could hardly contain her excitement when the crew arrived, and “when I shut the door, of course I’m screaming all over the place,” she said.  

SRS Building Products donated all the supplies thanks to their nonprofit organization called Operation Raise a Roof Foundation. Jeremy Cunningham, the territory manager, beamed over his company, saying “Our motto is ‘make money, have fun and give back.’ It’s a lot of money and everything, but to be able to share that with people in need...and the reaction on their face and their response, it breaks up the monotony of the day-to-day.” 

Looking to move quickly on the project, Bryan Chisholm, general manager of Texas Traditions Roofing rallied his crew to team up with Habitat for Humanity. A nine-year-old company, their mission is focused on giving back. “We have to take care of our communities and the families that work for us,” Bryan said. Gladys was overjoyed by the action of these organizations, giving her a new roof that would probably have cost close to $15,000. 

Photo source: KDH News