Partnering with Lowe’s to Help Our Neighbors and Communities Thrive
Over the past 18 years, Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together have worked to improve the lives of thousands of our neighbors, taking care to listen to and understand their needs. Alongside our neighbors, we’re making essential home repairs, increasing access to safe and affordable housing that’s strengthening communities across the country.
This year was no exception. We started with the 30th Kickoff to Rebuild, originally created decades ago in partnership with the NFL and the late Paul Tagliabue, commissioner of the league at the time. We were thrilled to partner again with Lowe’s, the NFL’s official home improvement sponsor, and professional football player Leonard Fournette, who joined us two years ago for Kickoff to Rebuild in Glendale, Arizona. This year’s event was especially meaningful because Leonard is from New Orleans, host city of the Super Bowl.
Hundreds of volunteers, including Lowe’s red vest associates from across the area, made repairs and energy-efficient upgrades to five homes in historic St. Roch, as well as community improvements, from repainting a fieldhouse in the neighborhood park to creating a new community garden.
Lowe’s commitment to communities continued beyond New Orleans, with the return of Innovation Grants for eight Rebuilding Together affiliates this spring. These grants focused on strengthening the long-term operations of growing affiliates in need of capacity support and affiliates engaged in innovative programming. For example, Rebuilding Together Saratoga County, in upstate New York, used an Innovation Grant to fund a handyperson program that provides immediate, small-scale repairs to address critical health and safety hazards. By fixing problems like electrical outlet hazards and small water leaks, the program makes homes safer, while preventing bigger dangers that are difficult and costly to remedy.
These aren’t the only grants advancing our mission in neighborhoods nationwide. Lowe’s generous support provided grants this fall to more than 30 Rebuilding Together affiliates to make urgent home improvements for our neighbors who could not make repairs themselves nor afford to hire someone to do so. More than 225 Lowe’s volunteers, primarily red vest associates, joined our affiliates in the communities where they live and work to help complete repairs and modifications for the homes of 90 of our neighbors, making them safer, healthier, and more accessible.
For example, in Nashville, this grant supported a dramatic transformation of Elaine's home, where she raised her three children. About six years ago, a storm caused a tree to fall on the roof, damaging the home. Substandard repairs by a contractor contributed to interior problems over time, such as water damage and a deteriorating ceiling. This project was one of Rebuilding Together Nashville's most expansive of the year. It involved repairing and painting ceilings and walls, fixing eroded electrical wiring, restoring the kitchen, making plumbing improvements, trimming trees and more. The repairs ensure Elaine can now safely and comfortably age in place in her home, remain in her neighborhood and keep this important asset in her family.
The impact of our partnership with Lowe’s doesn’t end there. The greater Lowe’s community also played a key role this year. This fall marked our second time participating in Lowe’s point-of-sale campaign. Lowe’s provided in-store customers with an opportunity to round up their purchases at checkout to the nearest dollar to support Rebuilding Together. We are grateful to the customers who collectively raised $5 million between the first campaign and the latest one, supporting repairs and improvements that help our neighbors and communities thrive.
Over these past two decades, our partnership with Lowe’s has made an enormous impact. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves again alongside Lowe’s next year to continue advancing this movement of neighbors helping neighbors, because everyone has a right to live in a safe, healthy home.