When Jermaine Hylton started roofing 18 years ago, he was looking for a good-paying job to support his family, but working for other roofing companies allowed him to discover his talent. He learned under one of the best, a guy named John, who became a mentor and father figure. John looked out for Jermaine and taught him everything he knew. Within a month of learning under John, Jermaine became a foreman and discovered his love for roofing. Eventually, he left the company and worked other jobs that left him feeling unsatisfied and unhealthy. Realizing he could no longer do work he didn’t enjoy for other people, in 2015, he registered the name New Jersey Roofing and Maintenance and bought a single truck. Jermaine laughs as he recalls his early mishaps as a new business owner, “I couldn’t get nothing right when I started my business. My pricing was off. I wasn’t making any money. I’d pay my workers and, I’m like, holy crap. I made no money. This is not gonna work.” But Jermaine had a drive, a vision, and a love for what he was doing. “When you love what you do, you’ll never fail, and you will keep doing it no matter what.” Today, New Jersey Roofing Maintenance has seven trucks and dreams of expanding. Jermaine’s partnership with HANDS has been successful because of his straightforward communication, problem-solving, and people skills. As an in-house maintenance company, NJ Roofing Maintenance takes care of various HANDS’ property needs, from electrical to flooring to plumbing and, of course, roofing. As a people person, Jermaine and his crews connect easily to HANDS’ tenants and say they are like family. Customers call and ask, “Hey, Jermaine, can I borrow a ladder for like 15 minutes?” and he says, “Hey, yeah.” When asked what’s so special about Orange, Jermaine says, “I love Orange because Orange is for us. It’s diverse; you got everybody, and everybody’s just together. There is a togetherness in this town. Everyone knows everyone, and they show up for one another.” Jermaine’s drive, vision, and love continue to propel him and New Jersey Roofing Maintenance. He hopes to expand into government contracts and hire others to take on some of the behind-the-scenes work. For now, Jermaine is making connections, putting in the work, loving what he is doing, and trusting that growth will come. Thank you, Jermaine and New Jersey Roofing Maintenance for all you do for HANDS and the community!
