Harvest Time International Inc. is a faith-based nonprofit headquartered in Sanford, Fla., dedicated to humanitarian efforts. Established in 1992, the organization has assisted more than 9 million families worldwide through its partnerships with corporations and community organizations.
For more than 30 years, Harvest Time International and its volunteers have distributed much-needed supplies in times of disaster and have supported communities by providing food, clothing and household essentials to children and families.
In 2023, the organization undertook a significant project to rehabilitate the roof on its existing building and construct a new facility to expand services. Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was selected by Harvest Time International’s project team as the roofing contractor for the project.
“Advanced Roofing has a long-standing history of supporting Harvest Time International, regularly donating food, toys and essential items during the holiday season and throughout the year,” says Rob Kornahrens, president and CEO of Advanced Roofing. “We are committed to continuing the support.”
Phase one
In June 2023, the Advanced Roofing team began work on Harvest Time International’s existing 102,800-square-foot roof. The team was tasked with providing a retrofit solution using the existing standing-seam metal panels. Team members placed a layer of Carlisle EPS Flute Fill insulation boards into the flutes of the metal panels, creating a uniform substrate across the roof surface.
Next, the team added a layer of Carlisle polyisocyanurate insulation and fastened the boards to the metal panels using metal insulation plates and fasteners. To complete the roof system, workers installed Carlisle single-ply, 60-mil TPO membrane using Carlisle’s RhinoBond® induction welding system, which involves screwing plates into the purlins, rolling out the membrane and welding the membrane to the plates.
The team also installed vent curb flashing, flashing around HVAC units and a new gutter system. The retrofit process raised the height of the roof, so the team at Advanced Roofing, an authorized fabricator in NRCA’s UL certification program for compliance with ES-1, installed new edge metal around the perimeter to ensure a smooth transition into the gutter system.
The eight-person crew completed phase one of the project in 20 days.
Phase two
After the retrofit roof system was completed on the existing building, in April 2024, the Advanced Roofing team began work on Harvest Time International’s newly constructed 30,092-square-foot building located across from the existing 100,000-square-foot facility.
The new building houses the organization’s Community Hope Center that provides affordable food, clothing and household essentials as well as free emergency aid to families in crisis. Previously located in the original building, the Community Hope Center is where volunteers gather to sort products for local, national and international distribution. The new space provides an improved, air-conditioned, safe work environment for the organization’s many volunteers.
During phase two, the Advanced Roofing team worked with The Collage Companies, Lake Mary, Fla., the general contractor for the project. On the concrete building, the team installed a 22-gauge stainless-steel Type B roof deck with a built-in slope to direct water through several scupper openings located at various levels. The lower scupper serves as the primary drainage point with an upper scupper functioning as emergency overflow.
On the deck, team members fastened Carlisle polyisocyanurate insulation followed by Carlisle TPO membrane using the RhinoBond attachment method.
The Advanced Roofing team also adhered Carlisle TPO membrane on newly constructed walls using bonding adhesive.
After completing the roof, team members installed walk pads to create a clear path from the roof edge to HVAC units, mechanical equipment and other maintenance areas. Phase two was completed by an eight-person crew in two weeks, on time and with no safety incidents.
“The efforts resulted in a high-performance, durable roofing solution that supports Harvest Time International’s mission to serve the community, combining advanced techniques and strong collaboration to meet the complex demands of the facility,” Kornahrens says.
Fruits of labor
On Nov. 22, 2024, Harvest Time International opened its relocated Hope Center to serve the community during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Careful planning and teamwork contributed to the project’s success.
“This project was a significant contribution to the community,” Kornahrens says. “Harvest Time International now has a state-of-the-art building that provides vital services to local residents in need.”
The expanded Hope Center offers an improved computer center with much-needed devices to assist families experiencing homelessness. Every day, hundreds of individuals visit the facility.
“Our team was thrilled to be a part of the new development from Harvest Time International,” Kornahrens says. “We are neighbors in the community and continue to support the mission Harvest Time offers.”
Concerns with field-uplift testing continue
Project name: Harvest Time International Inc.
Project location: Sanford, Fla.
Project duration: Phase one: June-July 2023; phase two: April-May 2024
Roofing contractor: Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Roof system type: TPO membrane
Roofing manufacturer: Carlisle SynTec Systems, Carlisle, Pa.
CHRYSTINE ELLE HANUS
Professional Roofing’s associate editor
Director of commmunications
NRCA
