Army Veteran Receives Free New Roof in Gratitude for Service

By Alec Doniger. 

For this veteran, a new roof was the most meaningful gift he could have received. 

James Stevenson, a U.S. Army veteran living in Skinners Neck, Maryland had a leaky roof and wasn’t sure how it was going to get fixed. A quick replacement was imperative.  

Fortunately, Rebuilding Together Kent County has partnered with Owens Corning to help people like James. The Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project, a donation program for veterans who need new roofs, gave James the opportunity to live in a safe and warm home. Owens Corning donated the roof itself, and a Kent County contractor, MLM Home Improvement, supplied the labor. 

“It’s a huge relief knowing that I’m not going to have water coming through my ceiling during the next storm,” James said in an interview with Kent County News. “The Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project and MLM Home Improvement really strengthened the integrity of my house,”  

2016 marks the inception of the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project. Since then, over 360 veteran families throughout the U.S. have received free new roofs. The project mission is to partner with local contractors and nonprofits to provide veterans with free roofs. It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering how to help our veterans, but it has made a big impact for our national veteran population. 

James is the second Kent County veteran to receive a new roof through the program. Another U.S. Army veteran from Fairlee received one in April — both were nominated through Rebuilding Together Kent County (RTKC). This nonprofit organization works to aid those in substandard living conditions. The people they work with are typically senior citizens, veterans and those with disabilities. 

“We are grateful to the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project and MLM Home Improvement for their generous donations of materials and labor to make sure one more of our neighbors is dry during the next storm,” RTKC Executive Director Genevieve Croker told the Kent County News in an email. “We are honored to participate in a program that serves those who have so heroically served our country.” 

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Photo credit: Kent County News

About Alec 

Alec is a reporter for RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When he isn’t investigating the state of the roofing industry, you might find him playing drums with his bands in Denver.