Actor Anthony Mackie, left, talks with resident Joe Capers, as he works with GAF Roofing Academy college students who had been volunteering to switch Capers’ roof, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Credit score: AP/Gerald Herbert
Actor Anthony Mackie speaks outdoors a house whereas working with GAF Roofing Academy college students who had been volunteering to switch the roof of Joe Capers, who has lived in New Orleans because the Nineteen Fifties, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Credit score: AP/Gerald Herbert
NEW ORLEANS — Film star Anthony Mackie was again in his residence city — and again at an previous job — as he took half in a program to restore roofs broken by pure disasters for individuals who aren’t financially or bodily in a position to get the work achieved themselves.
The New Orleans-born Mackie, maybe greatest often called the brand new Captain America within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, pitched in earlier this month with members of the nonprofit Rebuilding Collectively New Orleans and roofing producer GAF on the residence of 81-year-old veteran Joe Capers.
Blue-tarped roofs are nonetheless a part of the panorama in New Orleans greater than two years after Hurricane Ida struck in 2021. The work on Capers’ property marked the continuing program’s five hundredth residence roof restore within the Gulf of Mexico area, in keeping with GAF.
“It takes a variety of strain off of me, as a result of it has been a tough highway,” Capers mentioned outdoors his residence, the place Mackie and the GAF employees had gathered on Sept. 12. Capers mentioned his functions for assist from authorities businesses had been denied. “Let me let you know, I am so grateful that they got here alongside.”
Mackie, participating in this system for the second consecutive yr, reminisced about his time as a youth “mopping tar” on roofing jobs for his father.
“For those who’ve by no means mopped tar. It is — think about being a Thanksgiving turkey within the oven, ready to be taken out,” Mackie mentioned. “As a result of the tar is about 500 levels.”
He mentioned he solely not too long ago was in a position to restore his personal Ida-damaged residence.
Actor Anthony Mackie speaks outdoors a house whereas working with GAF Roofing Academy college students who had been volunteering to switch the roof of Joe Capers, who has lived in New Orleans because the Nineteen Fifties, in New Orleans, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Credit score: AP/Gerald Herbert
“I have been working a lot the previous two years, I am simply attending to cleansing up my injury from Hurricane Ida. So I needed to put a roof on my home. Luckily, knock on wooden, I used to be in a position to put again on my roofing sneakers and get again on the roof,” Mackie mentioned. “So, now my neighbors are asking me to repair their roofs.”
Mackie and GAF employees additionally gave locals recommendations on roof restore as a part of a program often called the GAF Roofing Academy program.
“Constructing a resilient group begins with the roof,” mentioned Andy Hilton, who holds the title of chief communications and company social accountability officer at GAF. “If we will be useful in repairing the roofs for households who want a safe roof and that sense of security and shelter, we’ll proceed to do this work so long as we have to.”