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Middle and high school students repair roofs for homeowners in Waco

Posted at 12:48 PM, Jul 18, 2017
and last updated 2018-07-24 21:30:56-04

Middle and high school students are spending this week in Waco repairing roofs, installing new ramps and rails and painting homes.

The projects would serve six families who have homes in need of repair. The BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery, which had 64 students from Texas Baptist Churches volunteering their time to repair five homes of low-income residents. The adults supervising the group are working on one of the homes too.

"I would feel very accomplished and I would feel glad to do something for someone they couldn't do and if the tables were turned, I would want someone to do that for me,” volunteer Daniel Lang who attends Lampasas High School said.

Killeen High School student Elizabeth Mattson said she is also glad she has the opportunity to serve others.

"I feel so relieved and accomplished. Feel great to help him with something he has had so many problems with,” Mattson said.

According to Waco Community Development Corporation Executive Director Mike Stone, the department selects the homes based on whether the homeowner has a disability or is an elderly person.

He added most of the recipients have medical costs and can’t afford to keep up with their house. With the program, they are able to get the repairs done at no cost.

The City of Waco invested $30,000 for the materials and equipment needed for the projects.

"We are able to save their house with a few thousand dollars and a lot of volunteer efforts to be able to keep them in their house and keep them comfortable,” Stone said.

Andrew Johnson, 69, who is one of the recipients is thankful volunteers will fix his roof, which he said leaks when it rains.

"It's a disappointment. I'm ashamed of bringing anybody over because the roof is all looking bad,” Johnson said.

He said it would have been hard for him to cover the costs of repairing the roof in a home he has been living at for 40 years.

"It makes me feel really good. I'm a kidney patient and I have to go in three days a week and the medicines are very expensive so it's going to help me out a whole lot,” Johnson said.

The projects are expected to be completed by the end of this week. This is the third year that BOUNCE has been in Waco helping with this project.

The Waco CDC also has another roof repair program, which professionals do, funded through a grant. Twenty out of the 60 people that applied are expected to receive assistance. The application deadline for that program has passed.

If you would like to apply for next year’s roof repair programs, you can find more information here.

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