Nick Cain and Jason Hare are glad to have a new roof over their heads.
The two live at Randy's House, a home for handicapped young adults on Prior Street that is supported by nonprofit organization Our Neighbor.
With a $5,000 donation, Our Neighbor repaired the leaky roof for its residents.
"I'm so thankful that the people took time out of their busy schedules to donate and fix the roof," Hare said. "It means a lot."
On Thursday, Hare and Cain worked at Next Chapter, Our Neighbor's used bookstore in the downtown Main Street Market that allows the disabled residents to gain employment skills. Hare looked up book prices online as Cain rang up the register.
"We love the roof. It's really reliable," Cain said. "When that storm hit Monday, it was great. We were scared before then because other storms would let rain leak through."
The donation came from Surgical Care Affiliates, a national network of surgery centers. The group established a foundation that allows employees to solicit grant applications from local charities.
Andy Whitener, a Surgical Care Affiliates employee and member of Our Neighbor's board of directors, suggested that the group should apply for the donation.
"The grant was a great help," said Mary Margaret Calvert, development director for Our Neighbor. "It was amazing how the company we hired took off and put on a new roof in one day, and we were ready to go."
The group sponsors three residential facilities with nine full-time residents. Randy's House received the roof replacement Feb. 17 and has a spot open for another young man.
"We had a huge leaking spot when interviewing potential residents, and that just looked bad," said Ryan Gibson, the resident caretaker who lives with Cain and Hare. "I hope this will bring someone else into the house."
Hare and Cain plan to stop by the Beverly Road office of Gainesville Surgery Center, which is part of Surgical Care Affiliates, for a banquet on March 18 to show their appreciation.
"This is great because we are a very new and very small organization that is providing a service so desperately needed in Georgia as well as around the country," Calvert said. "We are always looking for volunteers and in need of more corporate sponsors and private donations."
When Cain returned home from the bookstore Thursday, he smiled as he and Gibson walked through the living room that once had a leak.
"It really is a blessing. We stayed at the house while they fixed the roof, and it was a pretty big mess. But we've been enjoying it ever since," Cain said.