Electric and Roofing Repairs Increase Family’s Safety
A leaking roof that did not comply with updated state code and sorely outdated electrical wiring made for an unsafe living situation for Air Force veteran Lyndie Stark, husband Rodney, and her stepson Liem.
The living room in their 1940s home in Newaygo, Michigan, would be littered with buckets to catch the leaks when it rained. They could not use a clothes dryer because that would short circuit other outlets, several of which never worked again.
The house did not have a breaker or indoor electrical shut-off. The only way to shut down electricity was at street level. The electrical panel they did have inside was a mess of wires. The whole system was a fire hazard.
Lyndie then learned that if they did not fix the roof and get everything up to code, they would lose their homeowners insurance. Yet the insurance would not cover repairs.
A wounded veteran who was forced to medically retire due to a car crash after 20 years combined active duty and reserve service, Lyndie, and her caregiver husband, were feeling desperate and stressed, which compounded the effects of her PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
She was referred to Operation Homefront’s Critical Financial Assistance program.
“Thanks to Operation Homefront, our home is now safe, comfortable and we are protected. We are eternally grateful.” – Lyndie Stark, Air Force veteran
“Honestly, I thought I was going to have to beg and plead,” she said. “I figured it would take months. But everyone was so nice and kind. We got the electrical fixed first and then re-applied for the roof.”
Thanks to the generosity of Operation Homefront’s donors, Lyndie was able to fund the $9,000 in repairs. Their roof is now up to code, and the moss that grew from the leaks was removed.
The electrician explained that one of the wires connecting the house to the street was a serious electrocution hazard, making Lyndie and her family even more relieved to have the repairs completed.
“This was life-changing for us,” Lyndie said. “It was this huge thing that we couldn’t afford. But thanks to Operation Homefront, our home is now safe, comfortable, and we are protected. We are eternally grateful.”
Since 2011, the national nonprofit has provided more than $41 million through its Critical Financial Assistance program to help military families stay strong, stable, and secure.
