Seldom does an industry have a group whose whole purpose is to give. Since 1996, a group of leaders has actively been working to give on behalf of the roofing industry. The Roofing Alliance, the foundation of NRCA (formerly The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress), is a stellar example of the roofing industry’s benevolence.

The organization works to raise funding to give back to not just the roofing industry but also to society overall. In addition to ongoing scholarships and awards programs, the Roofing Alliance has been busy implementing new initiatives. The following programs not only positively affect the roofing industry, they make a difference in our communities.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) helps families with critically ill children stay together and close to the medical care and resources their children need when they need them most. Ronald McDonald Houses offer much more than a place to stay; the Houses provide meals, support and resources to families while their children are hospitalized, allowing families to focus solely on their children’s health and treatment.

The partnership between the Roofing Alliance and RMHC started with a roofing contractor who wanted to give back in a grand way. Charles Antis, CEO and founder of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing LLC, Irvine, Calif., is known for his dedication to social corporate responsibility and was deeply involved with his local RMHC. When he joined the Roofing Alliance in 2016, he soon realized it was the perfect platform for the roofing industry.

Antis reached out to Bill Good, NRCA‘s former CEO, about exploring the opportunity of having roofing professionals adopt all 165 standalone Ronald McDonald Houses in the U.S. with the goal of donating roofing work and materials when needed. With a proposal to Roofing Alliance members and a strong relationship with Fred and Fran Hill, founders of the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, the partnership became official at the Roofing Alliance‘s April 2017 annual member meeting.

“The Hills started the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House after their five-year-old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia,” says Bennett Judson, executive director for the Roofing Alliance. “After their daughter was treated successfully, they realized how important it is for families to stay together while their children are being treated. They are passionate about RMHC and all they do and are excited about our partnership.”

One of the first Roofing Alliance-RMHC partner projects involved Roofing Alliance President Rod Petrick, president and owner of Ridgeworth Roofing Co. Inc., Frankfort, Ill. In May, Ridgeworth Roofing partnered with Bennett & Brosseau Roofing Inc., Romeoville, Ill., to help the Ronald McDonald House near Loyola University Medical Center in Hines, Ill. Bennett & Brosseau Roofing’s team completed repairs on the steep-slope asphalt shingle roof system, and Ridgeworth Roofing installed a new .060-mil-thick TPO membrane roof system on the House’s four-story low-slope roof area and restored a skylight.

“Working on the Ronald McDonald House was a good opportunity to do something that will help families for many years,” Petrick says. “They will be able to use this facility and not have to worry about lodging. When our crew worked on this project, I found out one of my guys, before working for us, stayed at a Ronald McDonald House when his child was sick.”

Kelly Evans, director of the Ronald McDonald House near Loyola, is thankful for the donated work on the roof systems and skylight.

“We are so appreciative of the work Ridgeworth Roofing did for our House,” she says. “Thank you for keeping our families warm and dry throughout their stay!”

The Roofing Alliance currently is collecting data to assist with more RMHC roof system replacements.

“We’re asking members to inspect the Ronald McDonald House roofs in their areas and report back to us about the conditions of the roof systems currently in place, the estimated life expectancies, any anticipated work that needs to be done, actual work expected to be done, and the dollar value of all in-kind labor and materials to be provided,” Judson says.

Once the information is reported, it is entered into the Roofing Alliance database donated by DataForma Inc., York, Pa. Bluefin LLC, Greenwood Village, Colo., has donated its time to establish a baseline of roof system conditions for all Ronald McDonald Houses and help RMHC develop its roof system maintenance and replacement plans. And thanks to Bothell, Wash.-based EagleView® Technologies Inc.’s assistance, aerial imagery is being captured for all the Houses to see the original conditions of the roof systems, along with full measurements.

“One or more Roofing Alliance and/or NRCA members will be identified to partner with local RMHC chapters to provide needed roof system services at each location,” Petrick says. “Roof system replacements will be managed as individual projects, and, if necessary, several roofing contractors and manufacturers may be asked to contribute.”

Antis is thrilled with the Roofing Alliance‘s response to the endeavor.

“Rod is a strong leader plus he has a big heart,” Antis says. “I am so proud this is a Roofing Alliance initiative. It shows the strength and power of the roofing industry when we all come together.”

At press time, 134 Ronald McDonald Houses have been adopted.

“Be sure to look for our red and white striped socks,” Petrick shares. “Everyone who is donating his or her time and talents gets a pair of socks to wear with pride. We hope to see a lot of striped socks at our upcoming events. I encourage everyone to get involved with this amazing initiative.”