Help for Habitat

Atlas Donates Materials to Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity Projects

Kris Hirschmann, Writer
Reading Time: 8 minutes
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Atlas Roofing actively participates in charitable efforts that help people and communities across the country. While some donations are one-time opportunities that provide support to individuals or organizations in need, others are ongoing — such as the company’s involvement with Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity.

“We feel it’s really important to give back to the community where we live. We’ve made the decision that any house Habitat for Humanity comes to us with, we’re donating to that project,” says Cody Mullen, quality control manager for the Atlas plant in Daingerfield, TX.

For its part, Habitat tries not to take too much advantage of the company’s generosity.

“When we have enough money to do the repair and the roof, on the inside and the exterior, I try not to ask for a donation because I don’t want to overload it. But when we get into a situation where I know that we will never have enough money for the interior and the roof at the same time, that’s when I ask for a donation,” explains Nico Fourier, the construction manager for Northeast Texas Habitat.

The help goes a long way. Fourier’s budget is very limited.

“We only have about $5,000 per house that we can spend. Normally roof repairs run about $7,000 per roof. By getting the shingle donation on these repairs, we can actually afford to fix these roofs,” he says.

With help from Atlas, Northeast Texas Habitat is able to do a great deal of good. This year, the organization is looking at doing 128 home repairs or refurbishments between all of its programs combined. That’s a lot of happy homeowners — and a lot of fabulous, functional homes for them to live in.

Let’s take a quick peek into a few of these homes to see Atlas Roofing’s charitable spirit in action.

Mrs. Freddie Cooper's home
Section of roof on Mrs. Cooper's home, where ridge shingles had blown off and been replaced

Benita Drive

At age 80, Mrs. Freddie Cooper had been living in her home on Benita Drive in Marshall, TX, for over 17 years. Over time, additions had been built onto the house with metal roofing. The junctures between the metal and shingle roof portions were not done correctly and they were leaking badly.

The leaks were especially significant in the master bedroom, the den, kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms. Neighbors had brought spare shingles to repair the problems, but the fix didn’t work for long.

“They blow off whenever there are storms,” Mrs. Cooper explains. “I have to put out trays to catch water dripping from the ceiling when it rains.”

Atlas stepped in to help with a donation of fresh shingles. Now her residence is leak-free, which is a huge relief to Mrs. Cooper. Health problems still slow her down but slipping and falling in stray water puddles is no longer one of her concerns.

Materials used:

Sarah Bennett
Sarah Bennett

Donald Drive

Water was pooling on the roof of Sarah Bennett’s poorly designed home on Donald Drive in Longview, TX, and internal damage — including a massive termite infestation — was the result. With the help of Atlas, Northeast Habitat was able to tackle this big job and provide the 80-year-old single homeowner with peace of mind and a functional house.

The damage did require extensive repairs, but now Sarah enjoys a dry and insect-free home that is not only more pleasant, but also much safer and more sanitary as well.

Materials used:

Lansing Switch Road

The roof of a house on Lansing Switch Road in Longview, TX, was a huge problem. Water was leaking into the living area, kitchen, master bedroom, hallway and bathroom. The kitchen cabinets were water damaged and swollen from moisture, the countertop was peeling away and the cabinet under the sink had collapsed. The front door frame was also water damaged to the point that it could not be used. Only a deadbolt held the door closed.

Habitat came in and tackled this huge repair job (see before-and-aftre photos on left side of image at top of page). The most critical part of the job was fixing the roof so the problems could not recur. The homeowner, Shawn, now lives in a leak-free home that is not rotting away around her. It’s a great change for this single mother, who now has one less thing — one big less thing — to worry about.

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Nesbitt Street

Marilyn (see photo on right side of image at top of page) had lived in her home on Nesbitt Street in Marshall, TX, for 25 years. During this time, she developed significant health problems, including multiple sclerosis, heart failure and lesions on the brain, and her home maintenance efforts suffered as a result. She also had problems with water running off the property behind her home, which contributed to many of the house repair issues.

By the time Habitat got involved, Marilyn’s situation was near disastrous. The roof was leaking and the walls were cracking. The home had termite damage throughout and siding was rotting away in multiple places. Marilyn was managing despite these problems, but the house would not last much longer.

Habitat came in and repaired everything, including a full roof repair job, thanks to the Atlas donation. Today Marilyn is sitting pretty in a functional home that looks as good as it works — and there’s no more leaking!

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The Jacksons
The Jacksons

Page Street

Donnie Jackson and his wife needed a new roof for their house on Page Street in Marshall, TX — badly.

“We’ve done numerous repairs ourselves in the past. But now I’m old and sick,” Donnie explains. “We approached Habitat for Humanity for help, since I can’t do it myself anymore.”

Habitat heard his plea and, in turn, approached Atlas, which agreed to donate shingles for a roof repair.

Not long afterward, the job was done and the home was fixed. The Jacksons can now sleep soundly without water dripping into their faces and walls rotting away. Best of all, they can stop struggling with useless, amateur attempts to fix the problems themselves. The pros have been in — and they’ve saved the day.

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Sabine Street

Angelica, the owner of a brand-new, full-construction home on Sabine Street in Longview, TX, is a single mother with four children. She has worked in the customer service industry for 15 years and is currently a customer service representative at a credit card company.

She has a kind, giving heart. “I love to help and assist people. It makes me feel good about myself,” she says. Angelica likes to cook, sing and travel when she gets the chance.

Money has always been tight, so Angelica has not been able to afford a home of her own. But with Northeast Texas Habitat stepping in, she now has a place to call her own — and she couldn’t be more thrilled.

“I’m very blessed and excited about the new things that are happening in my life. Thanks to Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity and all of their partners, I can see a brighter future for me and my family,” she says.

With a sparkling new home, that future is definitely looking good. Angelica should be able to enjoy a trouble-free living situation for many years to come.

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More to Come

These homes represent just a few of the many for which Atlas Roofing has donated materials.

As these accounts clearly show, when the roof goes bad, everything else starts to come apart. By contributing materials, Atlas helps Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity to do its good work and bring failing homes up to code. It’s a small effort and relatively small expense that brings big smiles and life changes to everyone involved.