Cameron Lee, Army Veteran and Owner of Lee Roofing, presents donation check to Major General William B. Raines, Jr., U.S. Army, Retired, accepting on behalf of the Friends Of The Troops board of directors
Friends Of The Troops, a Chattanooga-based 501c3 nonprofit, continues to fulfill the needs of area veterans and service members and their families in crisis thanks, in part, to an ongoing partnership with veteran-owned business, Lee Roofing.
Supporting veterans, deployed troops and stateside service members and their families is the continuing mission of Friends Of The Troops. A recent sizeable donation from Lee Roofing will bring the company’s total gifts to Friends Of The Troops to nearly $60,000 over the past three years, allowing the nonprofit to help many more in need.
Lee Roofing, owned by U.S.
Army veteran Cameron Lee is a big supporter of military causes. The company often hires veterans and has a Purple Heart recipient serving as one of their project managers. Lee also owns Lee Construction here in the Chattanooga area.
“This incredible gift could not have come at a better time,” said Friends Of The Troops CEO Jessica Duke. “In addition to supporting deployed troops overseas, we are seeing more and more emergency cases requiring our assistance, which we cannot do without the support of our donors. We help veterans and those still in uniform experiencing food insecurity and during other times of crisis.
“We are currently providing emergency aid to an Army veteran and single Dad of four children, two of whom are severely disabled. In addition to losing most of the contents of their home in a recent house fire, the family had no place to go while their home undergoes the rebuilding process. Additionally, they encountered difficulty with their insurance company. The family faced other obstacles in the immediate aftermath of the fire. Shelters turned them away because it was a dad, not a mom with children. Other shelters declined to help because their situation wasn’t a domestic violence issue. Despite other charities declining to assist this deserving military family, Friends Of The Troops was able to place them in an extended-stay hotel as they rebuild their living situation. Thanks to this amazing donation from Lee Roofing, we will continue to provide emergency aid to this family and others as extreme needs arise.”
Ms. Lee added, “As a veteran, I understand the sacrifices service members and their families make. At Lee Roofing, we believe in stepping up for those who’ve served, especially when they’re facing hardship. Supporting Friends Of The Troops is one way we can give back and ensure no veteran or military family is left without help in their time of need.”
Officials said, "Friends Of The Troops is one of the highest-rated nonprofits in the country, having a 100 percent rating from Charity Navigator, with 98 cents of every dollar going directly to supporting veterans and service members."
The nonprofit relies on donations from individuals and financial support through partnerships with area businesses. They do not receive any government funding. CEO Jessica Duke added, “We are so incredibly grateful to Lee Roofing for helping us to continue to provide emergency assistance to those veterans and service members who fall through the cracks of other organizations. It’s so important to be a resource for those who have sacrificed so much to serve our country. These gifts assist those with extreme emergency needs and may be literally life-saving.”