Breaking the stigma: Roofers in recovery are not alone

By Jenny Yu. 

Through meetings, fundraising and education, Roofers in Recovery brings resources and a community of support directly to roofing professionals. 

Mental health and addiction remain challenging topics in many trades, including roofing. Organizations like Roofers in Recovery are working to change that by creating support networks, hosting recovery meetings and encouraging open conversations across the industry. One such conversation took place in this episode of Roofing Road Trips^®, where Alex Tolle from The Coffee Shops™ sat down with a panel of industry leaders to discuss how the initiative is helping roofing professionals find community and resources. 

An example of the organization’s work making a difference is its presence at large trade shows. “The reason we started having meetings was that there is pretty heavy drinking and partying that goes on at these trade shows. And there is a large group that's also sober or trying to get sober,” shared Paul Reed, co-founder of Roofers in Recovery. “Part of being sober, getting sober is actually finding your community and finding your people. We've always made sure that people know that we're there.”  

The group’s work also extends beyond conferences. Through partnerships and fundraising initiatives like the Swing Fore Recovery golf tournaments organized by Stephen Spence, co-owner of Project Map It, the industry is helping raise awareness and financial support for recovery programs. 

Stephen noted that visiting Roofers in Recovery’s Hope in the Valley rehabilitation center, a rehabilitation center serving individuals struggling with addiction, made a lasting impression. “One of the most powerful things in my life was when Paul and Kim flew me out to see Hope in the Valley,” Stephen said. “After interviewing everyone and walking out, I was just standing there bawling. It was every emotion you could think of. Paul just gave me a big bear hug and said, ‘It’s okay, man.’ It’s a day I will never forget.” 

For Kim Reed, another co-founder of Roofers in Recovery, the most meaningful part comes from seeing lives fully transformed through recovery. “People come into our center with absolutely nothing, no hope,” she shared. “Seeing them graduate from our program and then go out into society, get jobs, thrive and break the chains of addiction with their family is so impactful.” 

Paul emphasized that addressing addiction and mental health requires breaking long-standing stigmas within the trades. “Most of the time, the drinking or the drugging is usually just a symptom of actually what's going on with most people,” he said. “It's so important to keep getting the word out to let people know that it's okay. I get it. Me too.” 

Read the previous article in this series, Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about Roofers in Recovery’s programs and mission.