Raising roofs and spirits

By Emma Peterson. 

From Massachusetts to Michigan, contractors are making sure their communities stay safe and sound. 

In today’s news cycle, it can be easy to get caught up in the bad things that happen every day, which can be overwhelming. That’s why, here at The Coffee Shops™, we try to highlight the stories of good that we hear. Today, we're sharing three incredible stories from around the United States about roofers looking out for their communities in the best way they know how – on the roof.  

1 – Franklin, Massachusetts 

Our team heard about a contractor who partnered with their local Habitat for Humanity to restore and preserve a historic part of their town’s history.  

Connell Roofing is a third generation, family-owned company that has spent nearly 70 years serving communities in Massachusetts. They provide a wide range of services from roofing and siding to gutters and windows. When their team heard that the South Franklin congregational meeting house was in need of repairs, they were quick to join the project.  

A local newspaper, the Franklin Observer, reported this statement from the company about the project, “This iconic landmark deserves to be preserved — and we’re honored to help protect its legacy.” 

2 – West Hartford, Connecticut 

Our second story comes out of West Hartford, Connecticut. There, a local roofing company, CB Roofing Pro, partnered with the nonprofit House for Heroes and a few other businesses, including QXO and All Town Hauling, to surprise 78-year-old Army veteran Francis Berman with a new roof.  

Francis served during the Vietnam War era, and calls West Hartford home, having lived in his house since 1947. His home’s roof needed major work, which was a service that CB Roofing was more than happy to provide. CB Roofing's office manager Wyatt Cody shared with Fox 61, “It feels great to give back to somebody who gave a lot for our country. It feels good to really show our thanks... So, we're hoping to fix things up, keep the place a little bit nicer, keep the community a little bit better.”  

The work done for Francis is just one of the many projects that House for Heroes has coordinated. In fact, since it was founded in 2012, they have helped more than 250 veterans.  

3 – Warren, Michigan 

And last but not least, we wanted to share a story of kindness that came from Warren, Michigan. There, a local family received the surprise of a completely free reroof. It couldn’t have come at a better time for the family, who were struggling with several home emergencies. Katie, one of the family members, shared with WXYZ Detroit, “We had a basement backup and then like three days later, the roof leaked so that's already, I don't know, $15,000 in repairs that just all came at once.” 

Thankfully, Katie and her family’s community stepped up for them. Kathryn Castiglione, director of operations at L&S Home Improvements, shared how their team heard about the family’s need, explaining, “We've never had a nominee have so many nominations. In fact, she had eight different people reach out to us saying how deserving she is of this free roof. When we came and told her that we were going to do the free roof for her, we just could see the weight lifted off her shoulders.” 

This is the third time local contractor L&S Home Improvements has been able to offer a community member a free reroof. They did it in partnership with ABC Supply, who donated all the materials.  

For more good news to fill your day with, check out our other articles about roofers doing good!