Helping Hands Restores More Than a Roof

How a Critical Roof Repair Restored a Homeowner's Hope for the Future 

Homeowner Nicole had known for years that her roof needed to be replaced. Living on a single, fixed income, repairs were just out of reach. Unable to afford the repair, it continued to deteriorate slowly.

When Nicole began experiencing critical roof failure, the situation quickly became more than a home repair, it became a threat to her ability to continue living safely in her home. As the roof continued to deteriorate, water began trickling into the house. Like a domino effect, the small leaks turned into water pouring through the roof. Interior damage worsened each day, and eventually the ceiling collapsed.

Like many homeowners facing large-scale repairs, she did what she could, setting aside a small amount of money each month and relying on temporary fixes, but those solutions could only go so far. Living in the home she worked so hard to maintain for more than a decade was becoming more difficult and stressful each day. Without a safe and stable home, Nicole had run out of options. 

“I was just hopeless. I was completely hopeless.” 

That’s when she was connected with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s Helping Hands home repair program. 
Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity staff quickly assessed the home and determined that, while the structure remained sound, the roof needed to be completely replaced to prevent further damage and preserve the home. This kind of critical repair doesn’t just protect a house, it protects the health, safety, and stability of the person living inside. 

“The roof had been weighing on me so heavily, because at that point I was going to lose the house and I had no place to go, I had no family, so it was a very heavy burden.” 

Problem - Failing Roof and Water Entering the Home
Nicole’s roof had reached the point of failure. Missing shingles and exposed areas allowed water to enter the home. The damage caused a section of her ceiling to collapse. As a temporary fix, she had a friend cover the roof with tarps, which helped for a while; but tarps couldn't protect the roof from continued damage and the potential of losing the home.

Helping Hands Solution 
Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity coordinated replacement of the entire roof, including new underlayment, flashing, and shingles to protect the home from future weather exposure. Once work began, the transformation was immediate.

“It was so fast, I couldn’t believe it… by the end of the day, I had a new roof.” ​

Beyond the quality of the work, the project restored something just as important as the home: stability. With the roof replaced, the home is once again protected, preserving not only the structure, but Nicole’s ability to remain in the place she calls home. The impact was much more than a new roof.

“It didn’t just fix my roof. It changed my view about the world.” 

For homeowners like Nicole, Helping Hands is about more than addressing critical repairs. It’s about ensuring that financial barriers don’t force people out of their homes, and that safe, stable housing remains within reach. 

“It was an amazing experience. It wasn't just replacing my roof. It was so much, more. Rebuilding my hope in humanity, building my trust in people...it was incredibly empowering.” ​

---

HOW YOU CAN HELP
​
Donate to support necessary home repairs for members of your community. 

Your Helping Hands donations help remove barriers to safe, decent shelter for those with insufficient income through critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, and emergency repairs and major appliance replacements (ERMAR). 
​
Together, we build peace of mind.