Missouri Organizations Pitch In to Give Air Force Veteran a Roof, Home Repairs

Several Missouri organizations pitched in to repair Air Force veteran Warren Dake’s home after it fell into disrepair.

“It’s awesome. It really is,” Dake told the Springfield News-Leader, as he watched workers move around his property. “I didn’t ever think this would happen.”

LoveOurRoof replaced Dake’s roof on Monday, and he will also have new siding, windows, and gutters installed on his home in west central Springfield.

Volunteers were also around to do some yard work.

The repairs started with a partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Missouri, (HFHS), LoveOurRoof, and Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri that began after Dake asked his local Habitat for Humanity chapter about home repairs.

“Mr. Dake first came to us asking about home repairs,” explained Nancy Williams with Habitat for Humanity. “I suggested that he contact the City about the HELP program, the Homeowner Emergency Loan Program (HELP). I knew they were actively soliciting applications where we have a backlog.”

The HELP program is aimed at moderate-to-low income owner dwellings in the city of Springfield. After Dake applied, he was accepted.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri was assigned to carry out the repairs, but an evaluation found that the money through HELP was not enough if the roof was included in the repairs.

Williams reached out to Habitat for Humanity International to find another program that would assist with the roof. The organization has a partnership with Owens Corning Roofing that repairs or replaces roofs for veterans.

Dake was also approved for this program, and LoveOurRoof was the local contractor that would be carrying out the work on the roof.

Another veteran also got to get his roof replaced through the Owens Corning program last week. An Army veteran in North Carolina got a total roof replacement through local roofing company Skywalker Roofing at no cost to him.