What it is and why it works
There is a house in your town with a tarp on it. The person inside might be a veteran on a fixed income, a widow in her eighties, or a young family after a hard year. They know they need a roof. They can't pay for one.
Once a year, you fix that. You partner with a church, a veterans group, or a local charity. They find the family. You and your suppliers put on the roof in a day. The neighbors watch, the local paper or TV station may come out, and your crew gets to do something they are proud of.
It is a real gift first. Done right, it also shows your town who you are in a way no ad can. Cost: one roof. Many roofers share that cost with suppliers and manufacturers who donate material, and with dump and dumpster companies who donate a haul.
Who to contact
| Partner | Who to ask for | What they bring |
|---|---|---|
| Churches | Pastor, outreach or benevolence ministry lead | They know which members are struggling, and can vouch for them |
| Veterans groups (VFW, American Legion, county veterans office) | Post commander, service officer | A trusted way to find veterans who need help |
| Local charities and home-repair ministries | Program director | Nomination process, home visits, and experience with donated work |
| Your shingle distributor | Branch manager, your sales rep | Donated or discounted shingles, underlayment, drip edge, vents |
| Dumpster and disposal company | Owner or manager | A donated or discounted roll-off and dump fee |
| Local news | Assignment desk, community reporter | A story, if they choose to cover it |
Let the partner run the nomination. You don't want to be the one choosing between two neighbors in need. The church or charity already knows how to do that fairly.
What to prepare
- A budget: the most you can give this year in labor, material, and dump fees
- A one-page nomination form for the partner (below)
- A short letter to suppliers asking for help
- A crew day plan, same as any job: permit, dumpster, safety gear, fall protection
- A photo and media release for the family to sign
- A media advisory (below) and one person who talks to reporters
- A banner or yard sign that thanks the partner and suppliers by name
Step by step
- Pick your partner three to four months ahead. Meet with them and agree on who qualifies: owner-occupied home, can't afford a roof, a real need.
- Open nominations through the partner for three or four weeks. Anyone can nominate, including the person themselves.
- Inspect the finalists' roofs. Some homes need more than a roof (bad framing, lots of rotted decking). Be honest with the partner about what you can take on.
- The partner picks the family. They tell the family first, privately.
- Ask suppliers for help with a firm date and a list of material. Offer to thank them by name on the banner and in your posts.
- Pull the permit and schedule the job like any paid roof. A donated roof still has to meet code.
- Get the family's signed OK for photos, video, and their name in the news. If they want to stay private, do the roof anyway and leave the cameras home.
- Send the media advisory three to five days before, and again the morning of.
- Crew day. Start early, work safe, invite the partner and suppliers to stop by, and finish with a short thank-you on the driveway.
- Post and thank. Share photos (with permission), thank every partner by name, and send a written thank-you to each supplier.
Scripts
To a pastor or charity director
Hi, I'm [name]. I own [company], a roofing company here in [town]. Once a year we want to put a new roof on a home for someone who can't afford one, at no cost to them. We'd like to partner with you, because you know the families who need it. Could we meet for twenty minutes to talk about how nominations might work?
Nomination form (for the partner to hand out)
[COMPANY] ROOF GIVEAWAY: NOMINATION
Nominee name:
Address:
Phone:
Do they own and live in the home? (yes / no)
Why do they need a roof? (a few sentences)
Your name and how you know them:
Photos of the roof, if you have any:
Nominations close [date]. The final choice is made by [partner name].
Letter to your supplier
Hi [rep name],
On [date], [company] is putting a free new roof on the home of [a local veteran / a widow / a family in need], chosen with [partner name].
We're asking our suppliers to help. The job is about [__] squares. We'd be grateful for any donated or discounted material: [shingles, underlayment, ice and water shield, drip edge, ridge vent].
We'll thank you by name on the job-site banner and in our posts, if you'd like.
Thank you,
[name], [company], [phone]
Media advisory
MEDIA ADVISORY, for [date]
WHAT: [Company] and [partner] give a free new roof to [a local veteran / family] in [town].
WHEN: [date], crew starts [time]. Best photos: [time range], during tear-off and install.
WHERE: [street and town, only if the family agreed; otherwise "location given on request"]
WHO: [Owner name], [partner leader], [supplier names], and the [family name, if they agreed].
WHY: [One or two sentences on the family's story, as they approved it.]
CONTACT: [name, cell]
What it can lead to (and what to charge)
The donated roof is free, full stop. What sometimes follows is new paid work: neighbors on the street, church members, and people who saw the story. Treat them like any other customer, with the same prices.
| Follow-on job | Example price (example only) |
|---|---|
| Roof inspection with photos | Example: no charge |
| Repair for a church member or neighbor | Example: your normal repair price |
| Church or charity building roof | Example: a quoted commercial price, maybe with a nonprofit discount you choose |
These numbers are only examples. Never use the giveaway as a sales pitch at the family's house.
Seasonal timing
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 to 4 months before | Choose the partner, set the budget |
| 2 to 3 months before | Nominations open; ask suppliers |
| 1 month before | Family chosen; permit; releases signed |
| Crew day | Pick a slow week with good weather: often late spring or early fall. Veterans Day and Thanksgiving week are popular with news outlets. |
Checklist
- Partner chosen and nomination rules written down
- Budget set; supplier help confirmed in writing
- Roof inspected; decking and framing issues known
- Permit pulled
- Photo and media release signed by the family
- Media advisory sent; one spokesperson named
- Fall protection on every crew member
- Thank-you notes to partner and suppliers
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating it as an ad. The family is not a prop. Keep their story in their words, and only share what they OK.
- Posting without permission. Get a signed release before posting photos, and ask before showing the house number or address.
- Unsafe photos. Cameras will be on your crew. Every person on the roof should be using proper fall protection.
- Cutting corners because it's free. Pull the permit, meet code, and carry the insurance your state requires, same as a paid job.
- Guessing about taxes. Donated labor and material are treated differently for taxes. Check with a tax professional before you count anything as a deduction.
- Using a manufacturer's name or badge you don't hold, or their logo without permission, even on a banner.
- Flying a drone for the video without an FAA Part 107 certificate.
Turning one roof into lasting goodwill
- Make it yearly. "Our fourth annual roof giveaway" tells the town you mean it.
- Keep the partner close. The church or charity may need roof help on their own buildings someday.
- Thank suppliers in public. They are more likely to help next year.
- Post the story once, well, on your site and social pages. See C2.
- Check on the family after the first big storm. That call matters more than any photo.
Want Annie's to do this for you? We can make your nomination page and form, write the supplier letter and media advisory, and post the story on your site and social pages once the family says yes.