Lowe’s Hometowns: Changemakers Impact the Nation’s Small Towns

You may know Lowe’s as your neighborhood home improvement store, but did you know about the nationwide impact that’s being made through the company’s annual impact program?

Lowe’s Hometowns is a five-year, $100 million commitment by Lowe’s as part of its goal to make homes – and hometowns – better for all. Each year from 2022 through 2026, Lowe’s Hometowns will complete nearly 1,800 community impact projects, including 100 signature projects chosen from consumer nominations and nearly 1,700 projects selected through Lowe’s stores, supply chain locations and store support centers.

In 2022, thanks to funding from Lowe’s and the hard work of Lowe’s associate volunteers, 100 nonprofit organizations, schools and municipalities across the country were able to complete renovations and restorations of public spaces that will serve their communities for years to come.

Through this initiative, in 2022 Lowe’s Hometowns saw:

• 1,883 Lowe’s employee volunteers step up to the plate in service, giving 10,569 total volunteer hours,
• 1,219 community volunteers lend hands-on support to complete projects, giving 14,777 total volunteer hours,
• More than 1.4 million people estimated to benefit from the 100 signature projects completed, within one year of completion,
• 5,360 nonprofit staff members impacted,
• 863 hired vendors utilized for improvements.

To date, Lowe’s Hometowns has contributed to social impacts like helping people gain safe and affirming environments, fulfillment and enjoyment, health and wellbeing, safety and support, community resources, food security, academic performance and more.

Lowe’s Hometowns helped The Salvation Army provide critical programs and services for at-risk families, children and senior citizens in Bessemer, Alabama. Its multipurpose room was repaired and renovated to better serve the community. In addition, beautification projects updated landscaping and provided a community garden for the enjoyment of the children and senior citizens.

It facilitated improvements for Harbor House in Wisconsin, a 68-bed shelter facility that houses survivors of domestic abuse. The organization was able to create a separate space for sexual assault advocacy and victim services. Since its opening, Harbor House has already been contacted by two local donors who were inspired by the work completed and are helping them move the next phase, the kitchen, forward.

Outside In, based in Portland, Oregon, works to break the cycles of chronic homelessness, poverty and poor health among the city’s LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, those experiencing homelessness and the underserved. With support from Lowe’s Hometowns Outside In renovated its Transitional Housing Program community housing units. Work included painting, replacing carpet with vinyl flooring, deep cleaning all housing units and hallways, adding new furniture and upgrading appliances.

“Let me just say how grateful I am to have been chosen for this amazing project,” said Doc Shaw, executive director at A Pocket Full of Hope, Inc., in Tulsa, which opened a new, inclusive arts space for youth in the community. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me or to our organization. The Lowe’s Hometowns project has put a smile on all the big and little faces who have witnessed this spectacular act of kindness, especially in a time of so much uncertainty. Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!”

Points of Light is proud to partner with Lowe’s, an outstanding example of a company with a strong corporate social responsibility program, to bring Lowe’s Hometowns to life. Learn more.