15
August
2011
|
18:00 PM
America/New_York

CertainTeed Supports Area Shelter With Donation to Bucks County Housing Group

(Valley Forge, Pa.) – Demonstrating its commitment to the community, CertainTeed recently donated materials to renovate the exterior of the Milford Square family shelter, one of six properties operated by Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG), a non-profit organization assisting homeless and low-income families attain permanent housing and financial security. The 120-year-old, 3,700 square-foot building houses six families, support staff and a community food pantry, which provides meals for 60 families each month.

“Bucks County Housing Group makes a real difference in the lives of families,” said Matt Gibson, manager of contractor programs for CertainTeed Siding Products Group. “We are pleased to support the organization’s mission by helping to renovate one of its oldest facilities to create a more welcoming environment and encourage others to do the same.”

While BCHG has been able to keep pace with interior improvements and necessary electric and plumbing upgrades, attention for the last three years has been on securing funding to replace the deteriorated original wood siding on the building.

“We strive to be good neighbors wherever we are,” said Nancy Szamborski, executive director for BCHG. “We want the building to look good and that is not the case with our Milford Square site, as the paint is peeling and much of the wood is rotting. The new, insulated siding will improve curb appeal and energy efficiency. We are so grateful to CertainTeed for stepping up and showing such commitment to families we serve and the community as a whole,” she said.

The donation includes all materials necessary to replace the century-old cladding, including CedarBoards™ Insulated Siding, molded from real cedar and backed with polystyrene insulation, which will help reduce future facility heating and cooling costs. The enhanced thermal performance will also block sound infiltration with added strength and rigidity for outstanding impact resistance five times stronger than traditional hollow vinyl siding.

BCHG has set a target installation date of April 2012; however, due to the age and size of the building labor estimates are high, hovering around $25,000 to complete the project. Despite the large figure, fundraising volunteers are optimistic about reaching their goal.

“We have some community members who are very interested in making sure the renovation is completed,” said John Kunes, Milford Square volunteer fundraiser coordinator. “It’s a lot of money, but there are some repairs that have to be done before installation. I think dedicated volunteers can make anything happen.”

Since 1979, Bucks County Housing Group has been assisting homeless and low-income families with programs that promote self-sufficiency, financial security and permanent housing. To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.bchg.org.

About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.

A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building products company, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 6,000 employees and more than 65 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CertainTeed earned the 2011 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. The group had total sales of approximately $3 billion in 2010. www.certainteed.com

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