Vinyl Billboards Provide Temporary Roofs Following Hurricane

As Hurricane Laura tore through the gulf last month, she inflicted billions of dollars of damage. And for many Lake Charles, La., residents, they found themselves without a roof over their heads, literally.

Thanks to Laura, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) estimates that 70 to 80 percent of roofs in Lake Charles will need to be replaced. But in the meantime, Houston-based nonprofit Every Shelter has stepped up to provide homeowners some temporary relief.

Making an impact locally.

Every Shelter’s mission is to utilize the power of design to help displaced communities advance from surviving to thriving. One way they accomplish this is through repurposing vinyl billboards to create shelters. Although Every Shelter generally focuses its efforts abroad, following the hurricane it seemed like their efforts could be put to great use closer to home.

Partnering with Uber Freight, Habitat for Humanity Houston, Houston Responds, and many billboard operations across the country, Every Shelter has already repurposed 70 tons of vinyl. Although a temporary roofing solution, the vinyl billboards will stabilize a roof repair for 12-24 months. So while homeowners will understandably want their roofs replaced quickly, Every Shelter is alleviating some stress that the interim solution will fail before the permanent solution is in place.

Providing shelter abroad.

Despite working domestically, Every Shelters’ roots are in providing shelter for some of the most vulnerable populations – refugees.

Of the world’s 70 million refugees, nearly 30 million will live in shelters, effectively camping for 12-17 years. Right now, shelters are often built from canvas cloth or woven plastic sheeting, as it’s the most affordable option. But both materials will begin to leak and/or tear within months – a clearly unsustainable option for individuals that will call these shelters “home” for possibly a decade or longer.

Vinyl can provide a more long-term solution and the outcome of outfitting shelters with vinyl is two-fold – it houses these vulnerable populations, contributing to a positive social impact, while also reducing waste and diverting these billboards from the landfill, contributing to positive environmental impact.

To learn more about Every Shelter’s mission and to support their cause, click here.