UPDATED:
For Ben Jackson, co-owner of Ben’s General Contracting, working on renovation of community center for cancer patients for “George to the Rescue” is the most recent of many efforts to help the community. Ben’s General Contracting was featured on “George to the Rescue” show on April 20 & 21, 2019. Watch as we help renovate the Hewlett House, a community center for cancer in Hewlett, New York.
Working with builder and host George Oliphant on the television show “George to the Rescue,” is another avenue to help those in need in the community. Ben will appear in his fourth episode of the television show on April 20 and 21.
Ben came up with the idea for the show late last year when he and his fiancée, Jennifer Jerome, who also works for Ben’s General Contracting, attended a fundraiser for Hewlett House, a community center for cancer patients. After Geri Barish, the fundraiser and the executive director of the organization, confided that the building needed a minor repair, Jen then investigated and immediately thought right away of “George to the Rescue” and Ben called the producers to ask if Oliphant and his crew could help.
When the producers heard about the mission of Hewlett House, a community education and advocacy group that provides everything from counseling and referrals to wigs for cancer patients, they agreed it would be a great choice for the show.
In February, Ben and his crew joined Oliphant and the “George to the Rescue” crew in renovating the third floor of the 300-year-old building on East Rockaway Road in Hewlett. Among other tasks, Ben helped to organize volunteers to help with jobs like installing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, the kitchen appliances, and Ben even recommended a friend and neighbor, Ann Marie DiSalvo, as a designer. The gleaming brand-new space made Barish cry with happiness during the big “reveal” at the end of the show. “She was elated,” Ben said. “It’s amazing. It’s a big transformation! They love it!”
Ben and his crew, including his partner and brother, Tony Jackson, worked with “George to the Rescue” host George Oliphant and his crew on three previous “George to the Rescue” shows. In one show, they renovated the Freeport house of a single mother and little boy after their husband and father was killed in a boating accident. They also worked on building an extension for a fireman in Oceanside with a sick son and they rebuilt an Amityville home that had been heavily damaged in Hurricane Sandy.
Ben and Ben’s General Contracting have worked with their community organization United Friends of America on building projects for people in need almost every weekend for many years. They completed numerous projects ranging from a stage for a Montessori School to gathering 80 tons of supplies for people in Texas after Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Ben is also active in industry organizations. He recently received his eighth National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Contractor of the Year Award from the New York City/Long Island Chapter for his renovation of the exterior of Woodward Children’s Center in Freeport.
Additionally, Ben and Ben’s General Contracting have won awards for the past six years straight. Ben is an Executive board member of NARI’s New York City/Long Island Chapter and has advocated for legislation affecting the remodeling industry as chairman of the group’s Government Affairs Committee.
Ben brings his passion for helping others to his community service work and his professional work and he sees “George to the Rescue,” as an extension of both. “We all love this work and helping where we can,” he said. “The feeling of helping people is amazing and it stays in your heart.”
“George to the Rescue” will air April 20 to 21 in the following cities:
Saturday, April 20:
New York, WNBC, 9 a.m., 7 p.m.
Los Angeles, KNBC, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia, WCAU, 7:30 p.m.
Dallas, KXAS, 5 p.m.
San Diego, KNSD, 5 a.m.
Hartford, WVIT, 7:30 p.m.
Boston, NECN, 11:30 a.m.
Boston, WBTS, 5 a.m., 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 21:
New York, WNBC, 12:30 a.m.
Chicago, WMAQ, 12:05 a.m.
Washington, WRC, 1:05 a.m.
Miami, WTVJ, 6 a.m.
San Francisco, KNTV, 5 a.m.
Boston, NECN, 5 a.m.
