Under One Roof

story by NATHAN LIVESAY          photos by PAUL NURNBERG

As baby boomers age, our state’s older population is growing rapidly, and there aren’t enough services to meet the demand. Beaufort County is a popular relocation, and retirement destination is no exception to this trend. Almost 20% of South Carolina’s population is classified as seniors, and it is estimated that by 2030, 1.8 million residents of South Carolina will be part of this group. Statewide, over 10% of seniors live in poverty, and over one-third of them live on their social security benefits alone. One of the most critical challenges that face this population, particularly for those living in poverty, is home maintenance, home repairs, or home modifications necessary to make it possible for them to safely and comfortably live. For the past decade, Beaufort has been home to an organization that has made it its mission to bring aging homeowners and their communities together to meet those needs.

Under One Roof is a nonprofit organization that repairs or modifies homes of residents 62 years and older. Using a workforce of skilled volunteers, they do projects that allow the homeowners to remain in a comfortable and familiar environment while ensuring that the home is a safe and accessible location for them. Under One Roof completes twelve to fifteen projects annually, and using a combination of volunteer labor, financial support from local churches, civic organizations, and grants, they complete all of their projects at no cost to the residents.

Under One Roof has been a 501(c)3 organization since it was founded in 2010 by Richard Drake. Drake moved to Beaufort in the early 1990s and has spent almost 30 years here with his family. After spending decades in the restaurant business, he worked as a general contractor doing remodels and additions through his company, The Drake Company, for the past 16 years. Several years into his business, he began to do small projects, like grab bars or ramps for aging residents of Beaufort County living in poverty. His first project was a grab bar for a man returning home from the hospital. The home modification was such a relief to the man and his wife that Drake was inspired to take on more projects. As he worked on each project, he saw the scope, the need, and the impact these small projects made on the lives of his clients. An idea was born, and for the past ten years, Drake has been working on expanding his ability to help those in need with his construction skills.

Initially, Under One Roof completed five projects annually, but as their board, budget, and volunteer pool has grown, they have been able to expand and now have completed more than a dozen projects annually, depending on the cost of the repairs. Local churches and civic organizations have been very supportive of the work. Drake mentioned that St. Peter’s Catholic Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and Sea Island Presbyterian Church had provided regular funding to the project. Local businesses, like Grayco, offered Under One Roof a discount on materials, and 100 Women Who Care made a significant grant to the organization as well. The Beaufort Fund of Coastal Community Foundation is their most substantial and longest-running partner, awarding them an annual grant to support their work each year. The organization received a grant this year from the ElderCare Trust Fund, an initiative of the South Carolina Office on Aging , that is focused on helping South Carolina Seniors live productive lives and avoid institutionalization.

The types of services provided by Under One Roof vary from situation to situation but are most often related to improving the mobility, accessibility, and safety of the resident. Sometimes the home will have a variety of necessary repairs, and Drake will assess the structure and choose the project that will make the most significant impact on safety and quality of life for the resident. Throughout the years, Drake has devoted quite a bit of time to these projects and completed the requirements to become a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist through the National Association of Home Builders. Potential clients complete an application to ensure that they meet the income and homeownership requirements. Under One Roof evaluates the home and chooses projects that will mostly improve the safety, comfort, and accessibility of the house—often things, like entrance ramps, grab bars, modifications of bathrooms or living areas, wood rot repairs, floor repairs, and window or door replacements.

Over the years, Under One Roof has grown from a one-man show in Drake’s backyard to an organization complete with regular volunteers, a board of directors with office space and materials stored at their current location on Depot Road. Drake often collaborates with other organizations and estimates he receives seven or eight requests for assistance each week. He would love to see the organization be able to expand and take on more projects in Beaufort, even into the surrounding communities. “The need is great, and it is a cool group of people to work with. They’ve all got stories and been through some things. I think we are the only group that is focused entirely on seniors.” These days Drake says he splits his time about fifty-fifty between his business and his nonprofit, but he would happily cut back his time with his construction business to spend more time with Under One Roof. He is hopeful that he and his supportive board of directors can win more grants to provide the funding for even more projects in the future. Along with increased funding for projects, another organizational need is a larger pool of volunteers. “The goal would be to develop a pool of volunteers—our jobs don’t take that long, a day or two or even a couple of hours for more specialized skills—so that we could blast out an email and let people respond if they can come out and help us with that project.”

Under One Roof has been serving the community for over a decade, and it is poised to continue to make a difference for the aging residents of Beaufort. The nonprofit has the capacity and expertise to be able to help more people each year with more funding and more skilled volunteers. If you, your church, or civic organization are interested in volunteering, partnering with, or making a contribution, you can contact Richard Drake at (843) 781-6770.