By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about the partnership between the Roofing Alliance and Ronald McDonald House. 

In 2017, Charles Antis of KPost Roofing and Waterproofing stood up in a Roofing Alliance meeting and suggested a nationwide project where roofers could adopt Ronald McDonald House programs. Our very own Heidi J. Ellsworth was there that day and has seen how that idea has grown over the last decade. To talk about this initiative, she hosted Katie Fitzgerald, president and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Global, for an episode of Contractor Outlook.  

Ronald McDonald House dates back to the 1970s when a renowned pediatric oncologist named Dr. Audrey Evans realized that many of the families of her patients at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia had nowhere to stay during treatment. For families who traveled especially far for their child’s treatment, some would even sleep in waiting room chairs or on hospital floors, just to be close  

In partnership with McDonald’s and the Philadelphia Eagles, she opened the first Ronald McDonald House, which provided families with free housing so they could be close to their children and the life-saving treatment they needed. Today, there are over 400 Housesin 60countries and regions.  

The growth was incredible, but with that growth came support needs. Katie explained:  

In the United States alone, our 165 standalone Houses, which are safe havens of comprehensive support for families with social services, emotional support, meals, transportation, art therapy and even schooling, take up around six million square feet of physical infrastructure. That’s a lot to take care of and honestly, our organization is very lean. Our Houses need help with the day-to-day operations, let alone the bigger maintenance tasks. 

It's that need that Charles’ idea aimed to fill, and the best part is it worked! Heidi shared some of her first-hand experience of what the mobilization looked like after Charles’ presentation to the Roofing Alliance in 2017, saying, “Contractors were calling contractors across the country. Someone from Philadelphia was calling someone in Oregon or Washington or wherever it may be and saying, ‘Hey, we're doing this here. You guys really should think about this.’ And it was because they shared their stories of supporting Ronald McDonald House and how powerful it was that a lot of people were able to get involved, adopt and be a part of this big program.” 

For Katie and broader Ronald McDonald House System, that mobilization was game changing. She explained, “I think since that time, there's been over $3 million of support for everything from maintenance to full-on roof replacement. The partnership is saving our nonprofit partners who perform this work tremendous amounts of money that they can put into the family instead. It’s been amazing... And one of the best parts is just seeing roofers all over the country fall in love with our mission and go beyond the roof to help. I know roofers around the country have been involved in other sorts of activities to take care of the houses beyond the roofs — fundraising, volunteering, collecting holiday gifts and more! They’re really connected with this mission so beautifully and we need the help.” 

Listen to the newscast or Watch the whole episode for more about how contractors all over are supporting Ronald McDonald House’s incredible mission. 

By Emma Peterson. 

April showers bring...a lot of interesting articles to The Coffee Shops™!  

As we leave the month of April behind and look towards May’s summer sunshine and peak construction season, we wanted to take a moment to look back at all the articles we published in the last month that captured our readers’ interests. And there were a lot – over 300 in fact! To make it easier to look back at the highlights, we’ve put together this list of the top ten!  

One such article shared a huge announcement from The Coffee Shops™ – We’re partnering with International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD)! This partnership is part of our international initiative and goal of fostering global collaboration on our sites. As Gary Howes, IFD board member explained, “By working together, [The Coffee Shops and IFD are] creating more opportunities for contractors, manufacturers and young professionals to connect, learn from one another and strengthen the future of the roofing industry on a truly international level.”  

Also on the top ten list were a variety of articles about the importance of community care and giving back! Writer Jenny Yu shared two heartwarming stories of roofers using their workmanship and talent for good! One highlighted the joint efforts between Rebuilding Together Philadelphia and a local contractor to fix the roof of a family’s home. The other was about YellowBall Roofing and Solar's donation of a new roof to Cherly and Marty Ash of Billings, Montana.  

In addition to these individual stories, Dani Sheehan wrote an article based on our Contractor Outlook Newscast with Ronald McDonald House Global President & CEO Katie Fitzgerald. Dani’s article dives into how contractors are working with Ronald McDonald House to donate their time, skills or resources to families in need. 

The top ten articles of April 2026 

10 - How contractors are supporting families through partnership with Ronald McDonald House by Dani Sheehan 

9 - Turning new hires into long-term talent by Emma Peterson 

8 - The importance of thinking outside the box by Emma Peterson 

7 - 4 practical takeaways on what AI use looks like in practice 

6 - What first-time attendees can expect at Roofing Day by Dani Sheehan 

5 - RoofersCoffeeShop® partners with International Federation of the Roofing Trade to strengthen global roofing connections 

4 - Improving performance in products and processes by Emma Peterson 

3 - Veteran surprised with free new roof by Jenny Yu 

2 - Neighbors helping neighbors by Jenny Yu 

1 - Extension cord safety for roofers by Cotney Consulting Group

By Dani Sheehan. 

See how you can donate time, skills or resources to support an incredible cause. 

Our industry is built on protecting what matters most, and roofing contractors across the country are finding a deeper purpose through their work with Ronald McDonald House. In a recent episode of Contractor Outlook™, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with the President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Global, Katie Fitzgerald, to learn more about the organization's history and its powerful partnership with the Roofing Alliance. 

As Katie explains, Ronald McDonald House was born out of a very real and painful gap in the healthcare system. Families traveling for lifesaving treatment had nowhere to go, and in some cases, were forced to make impossible decisions. That changed in 1974 with the creation of the first Ronald McDonald House: a place where families could stay, free of charge, while their child received care.  

“Our whole mission is to make sure that we’re supporting families so that they can support their children on what is without question the most unimaginable healthcare journey,” Katie emphasizes. Today, that mission spans more than 400 Ronald McDonald House programs in over 60 countries. But these spaces are more than temporary housing. They are fully integrated support systems designed to carry families through the hardest moment of their lives. 

A simple realization, a powerful industry response 

For the roofing industry, involvement began with a straightforward, but deeply human, realization. Katie shares, “When you think about Ronald McDonald House, we have millions of square feet of physical infrastructure. And our houses are these safe havens of comprehensive support for families... I think there was this ‘aha’ moment – all these Houses have roofs. And as nonprofit organizations, we really need support from the broader community.” 

Across the United States, Ronald McDonald House locations require constant upkeep to remain safe, comfortable and fully operational. But for a nonprofit, those costs can quickly pull resources away from the families who need their support the most. That “aha moment,” as Katie describes it, helped spark a partnership with the Roofing Alliance in 2017, in large part thanks to Charles Antis. 

“The idea was to have the Roofing Alliance, its members, come together and make sure that all 165 standalone houses in the United States got support – everything from maintenance to roof replacements,” Katie continues. 

What followed has been nearly a decade of hands-on support and a measurable impact. “There’s been over $3 million of in-kind support... which is obviously saving our nonprofit partners tremendous amounts of money that they can put into their families,” Katie explains. 

From inspections and repairs to reroofing projects, contractors have helped preserve these homes, ensuring they remain safe, reliable havens for families in crisis. 

A model worth building on 

“If you go into a Ronald McDonal House or you get a chance to meet a family, you are hooked... You can’t not want to do more,” Katie shares. Contractors who initially show up for a project often find themselves returning in new ways, driven by the families they meet and the stories they hear. Across the country, roofing professionals are stepping beyond the jobsite to support Houses in ways that reflect the heart of the industry: 

• Preparing and serving meals for families 
• Hosting fundraising events like golf tournaments 
• Volunteering during holidays and special events 
• Helping with day-to-day operations and upkeep 

The value contractors bring is felt not only in their technical skills, but also in their willingness to show up, lend a hand and invest in their communities. 

The partnership between Ronald McDonald House and the roofing industry is a powerful example of what can happen when professionals align their expertise with a greater purpose. At its core, it’s about stability, safety and giving families one less thing to worry about during the most difficult time in their lives. As Katie’s perspective makes clear, sometimes all it takes is stepping inside a House to understand the impact, and to realize just how much more there is to build. 

Listen to the full podcast episode to learn more about this incredible partnership and find a way to make a difference in your own community.