HOUSTON – A longtime northeast Houston homeowner is getting a major helping hand after a leaky roof put his home at risk.
2 Helps You Mario Diaz went to the 8100 block of Penrod Street in NE Houston to meet with 51-year-old William Pierre, who has lived in the neighborhood for 27 years.
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Pierre said the trouble started above his head. “The main problem was my roof, it was leaking,” he explained.
When word spread, help arrived at his doorstep — and Pierre said it felt meant to be. “I was shocked and like wow… God sent me some angels to help me,” he said.
One of those “angels” is Trevor Barnett with The Restoration Team, a volunteer home-repair organization born out of Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts.
“I started this as a volunteer at my church,” Barnett said.
Since then, Barnett said The Restoration Team has grown into a large collaboration involving multiple churches, nonprofit partners, private donors and an army of volunteers.
“This is the 500th home The Restoration Team is restoring,” Barnett said.
The project at Pierre’s home began as a roof replacement, but once crews got on site, they realized the home needed more extensive work. The group has now budgeted $45,000 to help bring the house back.
Pierre admitted he initially wondered if there was a catch. “You thought there was a catch… you thought this is too good to be true? Yes,” Pierre said. “But then you realized it was divine intervention? Yes it was.”
Work on the outside is expected to wrap up soon, with plans to shift next to an interior makeover.
For Pierre, the result is a safer, repaired home. For Barnett and the volunteers, it’s the reward of neighbors helping neighbors.
“There is something to be said about helping your neighbors in need and not asking for anything in return,” Barnett said.
Barnett said the experience reinforces a message he hopes others will remember: “The world and the community we live in is more generous than it appears.”
As home No. 500 nears completion, The Restoration Team says its mission continues. The organization’s goal by 2028 is to help 100 families a year in northeast Houston.