HBRA of Central CT Continues Fight Against COVID-19

Disaster Response
Published

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut donated more than 60 rolls of DuPont’s Tyvek HomeWrap to area insulation manufacturer Thermaxx LLC.

The donation was enough to make 1,300 individual protective gowns.

Thermaxx had converted its production facility in West Haven, Conn., to make disposable gowns for health care professionals and first responders, and the groups were able to donate the gowns to multiple area hospitals, firefighters and ambulance squads.

But HBRA of Central Connecticut Chief Executive Officer Eric Person and Vice President of Operations Sheila Leach wanted to do more.

Person and Leach reached out to Lowe’s Home Improvement, which sells the Tyvek materials used to make the gowns, after connecting at NAHB Leadership Meetings. “The donation we were able to facilitate would not have been possible without those connections we made through NAHB,” Person said.

Lowe’s corporate representatives then reached out to DuPont, who as part of its #TyvekTogether program, launched the sale of a new Tyvek® 1222A material that is better designed for protective apparel than its HomeWrap. It also partnered with Lowe’s to donate rolls of the material to help meet the needs for personal protective equipment (PPE) in the United States, including 400 rolls that were donated to Thermaxx. One of the recipients of the new gowns was the South Fire District of Middletown, Conn.

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies coming together to support the production of much-needed PPE are making a difference for frontline responders,” DuPont said in a website post regarding the donation.

Share Your Stories

Help us continue highlighting member and HBA community service efforts around the country by sharing your story. You can email us directly at [email protected].

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Housing Finance

Apr 07, 2026

Trump Seeks Nearly $11 Billion Cut to HUD Programs

President Trump has proposed a budget that would cut non-defense discretionary spending by $73 billion for fiscal year 2027, which runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. The spending reductions include a $10.7 billion cut — about 13% — for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Sustainability and Green Building

Apr 06, 2026

Emerging Green Building Professional Spotlights Innovative Takeaways from IBS

The NAHB IBS Sustainability and Green Building Scholarship aims to provide emerging green builders exposure to the world of high-performance homes and help them jump-start their professional journey by attending the International Builders’ Show (IBS). This year’s winner is Grace Weger, a green builder making a meaningful impact in the world of affordable housing.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Apr 07, 2026

Rising Rates Weigh on Mortgage Activity

Mortgage application activity decreased month-over-month as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, declined 4.3% from February on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 30.8% higher than a year earlier.

Economics

Apr 06, 2026

Which States and Construction Trades Depend the Most on Immigrant Workers?

Immigrants’ share of the construction workforce reached a record high in 2024, with foreign-born workers accounting for more than a quarter of the industry’s labor force (26.3%). The share is even higher among construction trades, for which one in three craftsmen is foreign-born.

Economics

Apr 03, 2026

Job Growth Rebounds in March

The U.S. labor market showed signs of a modest rebound in March following a weak February, as payroll employment increased and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.3%. Job growth was led by healthcare, construction, and transportation and warehousing.