COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – Workers with Platinum Roofing began work early Tuesday morning to replace the roof of U.S. Army Reserve veteran David Rodriguez at no cost. They did this as part of the Owens Corning National Roof Deployment Project.

A major player in the roof replacement was Habitat for Humanity, according to Louise Hurless, the executive director of Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity.

“They work across the country with local affiliates,” Hurless said. “So they worked with us and then Owens Corning and then Platinum Roofing.”

To qualify to have their roof replaced, a veteran has to fall within a certain income range and own their home, Hurless said.

“We do critical repairs throughout the community, but this was our first through this deployment program,” she said.

Hurless said Habitat for Humanity was involved with the project because homeownership and having a safe house are important.

“And if we can help others have a safe house to live in, that’s what we go for between our repairs and our new houses,” she said. “This fits right into everything. And to serve our veterans.”

“It wasn’t really leaky, but it had some hail damage on several, quite a few shingles,” Rodriguez said. “… I’m just thankful to Habitat for Humanity and to the veterans program that supplements, you know, [repairing] the roof and everything. And the people, they’re doing a super job.”

The Owens Corning National Roof Deployment Project was launched in 2016 by Owens Corning, a company that provides roofing products, insulation and composites for buildings. According to the company’s website, the project “aims to inspire, activate and match its network of independent Platinum Preferred Contractors with military families around the country to deliver and install a free, new roof.”