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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Company’s gift of a new roof keeps woman sheltered at Christmas time

Becky Sanchez, 83, views the water-stained ceiling of her manufactured home Monday in northeast Spokane. Craig Howard, center, of SNAP, secured a new roof from Jeff Sitton, right, owner of Spokane Roofing, (Dan Pelle)

Becky Sanchez could stand at the sink of her manufactured home on the North Side and feel water hitting her head.

Her roof was leaking, and leaking badly.

But Sanchez, 83, couldn’t afford the $5,000 or more it would take to replace her failing roof.

The retired restaurant worker reached out to SNAP, which links residents to community resources, including a minor home repair grant program.

But SNAP’s funding was depleted for the year and Sanchez had already reached her limit of $2,500 in spending on previous projects, said Craig Howard, a community relations specialist for SNAP.

Sanchez has been a client of SNAP for some time, taking advantage of energy assistance available through the agency.

“It was getting pretty scary,” Howard said of the leaking roof.

That’s when Howard got in touch with a friend and business owner he knew who might be willing to help out.

Jeff Sitton, owner of Spokane Roofing Co., 130 E. Sprague Ave., offered to send out a crew to install a new thermoplastic membrane roof. Spokane Roofing has a history of being involved in charitable giving throughout Spokane County.

“I’ll tell you one thing, they did a fabulous job,” said a thankful Sanchez.

Sanchez complimented the professionalism of the crew who did the work, including foreman Bill Lindelof.

Brown ceiling stains from the leaking water are still visible over the sink and down the hallway to the bedroom, but the roof is water-tight. Monday’s rapid snow melt offered the ultimate test.

Sitton said that when he heard about Sanchez’s plight, “I felt the cause was justified. It felt right. It was just around Christmas time.”

His crew finished the work on Dec. 22 with winter bearing down. SNAP was sending an electrician to check on any possible damage to wiring.

Sanchez is struggling with a series of health problems, including a heart condition, chronically painful back and cancer. Even so, she remains busy as a volunteer and member at VFW Post 1474 Hillyard helping to assemble and deliver Christmas baskets, and with the Ladies of the Shrine, a support organization for Shriners Hospitals for Children in Spokane.

She was raised in Spokane and graduated from John Rogers High School. She has two children and three grandchildren. Her husband, Steve Sanchez, died 20 years ago. Among her jobs over the years was one in the Davenport Hotel restaurant.

Sanchez moved into her home in the tidy and compact Morgan Park, 7303 N. Crestline St., about 13 years ago.

Howard said that SNAP increasingly is relying on private donations to help meet needs of low-income residents in Spokane.

Several companies have donated electronic and computer equipment.

The donation to Sanchez by Spokane Roofing is another example of nongovernment help that SNAP appreciates, he said.

“It’s a huge boost to have these in-kind donations,” he said.

Spokane Roofing has contributed to various causes throughout the community, including Habitat for Humanity and Friends of Pavilion Park at Liberty Lake. The company also contributed to SNAP’s first capital funding campaign two years ago.

SNAP serves 45,000 clients annually, including programs in support of home ownership and retention, temporary housing, small business, self-employment, credit restoration, money management, educational opportunities, minor home repair, energy assistance, conservation education, weatherization and a long-term care ombudsman program.

For more information about SNAP, go to snapwa.org/.