Just as I was digging into Chapter 7 of that gripping page-turner Carpentry Fundamentals: Level One, the section on roof framing, I stumbled upon a creative repurposing of roofing material. The holiday ornaments pictured here are made from what the textbook refers to as “waterproof underlayment.” In construction, this layer—often tar paper or asphalt-saturated felt—gets applied to sheathing to keep moisture out until the shingles are laid.

These 4-inch tabs of waterproof underlayment, strung with red yarn and hand-stamped with the logo of Rooftop Nashville, are part of a fundraiser to break the cycle of homelessness by providing emergency rental assistance to working-poor families.

A few things to know about Rooftop Nashville:

1. 90% of people served by Rooftop are single working moms who need one-time assistance to keep their home.
2. The average assistance gift is $440.
3. Since 2006, Rooftop Nashville has served approximately 5,000 people with assistance approaching $2 million.

To learn more about Rooftop’s mission to prevent homelessness and provide hope, visit RooftopNashville.org.

To learn more about roof framing, read Chapter 7 of Carpentry Fundamentals: Level One.