For six years, one side of Tony and Delores Clark’s roof sat under tarps, exposed to rain, wind, and heat. A 2019 tornado outbreak in Alto, Texas — one of four twisters to hit Cherokee County that day — damaged their home, and the couple patched what they could. But when Tony was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, repairs came to a halt. 

“I couldn’t do it no more,” Tony said. 

By the end of that year, Tony got the welcome news he was cancer-free. Still, the home damage — and the financial strain — remained. Living on a fixed income from his Social Security check and her part-time wages at a grocery store in nearby Rusk, the Clarks could barely keep up with bills, groceries, and car maintenance. 

“It’s been difficult,” Delores said. 

Help finally came this summer through Communities Unlimited (CU). In Alto, CU launched a campaign led by Senior Community Facilitator Kristy Bice, with support from City Councilman Luke Johnson, to connect residents to the Fortified Roof Program, a no-cost initiative that strengthens roofs against severe weather. 

The Clarks applied, but an inspection found the home’s condition made them ineligible for a Fortified Roof. Instead, they qualified for a standard replacement. Before work could begin, disaster struck again when a tree fell into their home shortly after the application was submitted. 

Even then, CU refused to let the Clarks fall through the cracks. CU Community Housing Facilitator Kamilah Tatum took the lead, quickly connecting the family with resources. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, through their member Simmons Bank, awarded the Clark family a grant to replace their roof. This partnership has helped CU bring much-needed resources into the community. Within two days in early August, contractor Chris Walker and his crew from Nex-Gen Power Systems & Roofing had stripped and replaced the entire roof.

For the Clarks, the project meant far more than shelter. 

Their home, likely built in the 1930s or ’40s, had never undergone a full roof replacement. Decades of storms left the decking rotted and patched with mismatched shingles. Without help, the cost and labor to replace it were out of reach. 

Programs like this, the Clarks say, matter in towns like Alto, where many residents don’t know how to access repair assistance or simply can’t afford to fix longstanding issues. 

“Please keep doing more,” Tony said. “It’s an excellent deal — helping people.” 

CU continues to seek funding for broader housing repairs in East Texas. In Alto, most homes were built before 1989 and need major work beyond roofing to make them safe and livable. Kamilah connected the Clark family with additional CU housing repair programs to explore more ways they can improve their home. 

“Helping the Clark family get a new roof has been very rewarding,” Tatum said. “I look forward to continuing to assist them with other needs in the future.” 

For now, the Clarks have one less worry. 

Added Tony, “Thanks to you all.”