Community Comes Together: Family in Kingsport Receives New Roof Through Collaborative Effort

Appalachia Service Project and Local Businesses Help Family with a New Roof

Saturday, June 22nd, 2024: Residents of Kingsport, Tennessee, witnessed a heartening demonstration of community spirit as the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), local businesses, including Speedy Pro Roofing, and supplies from Atlas Shingles came together to provide a struggling local family with a new roof over their heads.

A Much-Needed Roof Replacement

For several years, the Stanley family have been dealing with a broken and leaking roof, resulting in significant damage to the interior and exterior of their home. Homeowner Cynthia Stanley recognized the deteriorating state of their roof and the resultant financial strain it put on her family, particularly during her mother-in-law’s battle with cancer.

The Stanley family discovered the Appalachia Service Project through their involvement with a local cancer center. After applying for their assistance in desperately needed home repairs, they received a favorable reply. Cynthia Stanley’s gratitude was palpable when she said, “They called back and said – we got it. I wanted to cry so hard because we’ve been waiting for a long time and just simply couldn’t bear the cost of the repairs on our own.”

Working Together for a Cause

Typically operating through volunteer labour, the ASP recognized that the steep incline of the Stanley’s roof required the skills of a subcontractor. Enter Al Goldsmith, owner of Speedy Pro Roofing, who after visiting and assessing the Stanley’s roofing issue, went above and beyond to lend his expertise.

“We were contacted by the Appalachia Service Project – they asked us to bid on and do a project for them. We then got some of our suppliers to donate materials, effectively getting the roof done at almost no cost to the Stanley family,” Goldsmith explained.

Community Partnership

Clarene Martin, an ASP summer staffer, emphasized the importance of community partnerships for their organization and for the success of the Stanley’s new roof project. “We’re exceedingly grateful for the community partnerships we have, we couldn’t function without them,” Martin said.

Throughout this tough year, the Stanley family has experienced the loss of a loved one to cancer and the stress of a dilapidated home. But, with the support of ASP, Speedy Pro Roofing, Atlas Shingles, and the wider Kingsport community, they now have a sturdy and safe roof over their heads, a win they are endlessly grateful for. “This means the world to us. We’re so grateful they could help, there’s so much we just couldn’t have done on our own,” Cynthia Stanley expressed.

Community spirit is alive and kicking in Kingsport, Tennessee. Together, the Appalachia Service Project and local businesses are making a clear and definitive difference in the lives of deserving families the likes of the Stanleys, their efforts serving as a testament to the power of camaraderie and shared human endeavour.