New Jersey roofing contractor M. Rank Roofing is all about paying it forward, and in this case, what goes around, comes around.
In a story from App.com, Emily DeAngelo and her family in the Manahawkin section of Stafford were dealing with a leaky roof in 2019. They called on M. Rank Roofing to help out. The owner, Mike Rank, met with the family, who were parents to a 1-year-old daughter and expecting a new baby, and knew he could help out.
Every year, his company donates one or two roofs, usually to a veteran, but he thought the DeAngelos would be a great candidate and offered it to them.
"She was like, ‘Give it to someone else who is more deserving; we’ll be OK,’” Rank told App.com. “I thought, ‘Well then, what a nice family.’”
This fall, the DeAngelo family discovered their roof was leaking once again. Rank returned to the home, and while speaking with the family, learned their newborn girl suffered from life-altering medical issues. This time around, Rank didn't take no for an answer.
“He called me and said, ‘What color shingles do you like?'” DeAngelo told App.com. “He said, ‘Listen, I’m taking care of the roof. It’s a done deal. I just want to know the color.'”
Rank is no stranger to giving back to others. His company provides a free roof to veterans every year, including one given in 2020 on Memorial Day with the help of Universal Supply donating the shingles. He teamed up with local restaurants to provide meals to the veteran and his family.
According to a woman belonging to the "Stafford Parents!!" Facebook group, she called on Rank to make roofing repairs. When Rank found out the woman's husband is a Marine and in law enforcement, Rank asked the family to donate to one of his favorite charities instead of taking payment.
In addition to taking care of the DeAngelo's roof free of charge, Rank rallied local businesses and residents to help out the family through fundraisers and food and toy donations. This outpouring of support looked familiar to Rank — when his son was involved in a lawnmower accident in April, the community was eager to help raise funds to cover the medical expenses.
