100 Hometowns – 2021

The Alaska Zoo is committed to conserving Arctic, sub-Arctic, and similar climate species through education, research, and community engagement. With the support of the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the zoo will renovate its Discovery Center with new flooring, lighting and windows, fresh paint, a new deck and more. These improvements will expand the center’s functionality and support the continued growth of the zoo’s educational programs and community outreach.

Youthworks mission is to help ensure all youth have a safe place to belong and be heard. The Lowe's Hometown grant will renovate storage and program areas to make significant improvements in the organization's ability to collect and store donations for our annual clothing giveaway event and other program needs, as well as improve program area for various activity groups our organization offers. These renovations will greatly enhance Youthworks' ability to receive and store donations for our annual event, as well as increase the number of youth served and types of activities our staff can implement with youth groups.

For nearly 70 years, Youth Encouragement Services has helped kids reach their potential by offering ways to belong and grow. The Lindsley Center is a safe haven that provides programming and resources that support every kid’s future. Through the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the facility will get a well-deserved facelift that instills feelings of hope and equips future generations. Upgrades include a new roof, enhanced security features, exterior painting, installation of a prominent mural, updated sporting equipment, window repairs, and new furniture.

Willis Dady Homeless Services' mission is to empower all experiencing homelessness to build futures of self-sufficiency through advocacy, housing, and employment. Renovations will improve the quality of life for veterans living at Westminster House by adding a ramp to its wrap-around porch, stabilizing weak spots on the porch, remodeling the first-floor bathroom for ADA accessibility, replacing kitchen appliances, moving the laundry machines to the first floor, mitigating pest and gutter concerns, and equipping tenants to maintain the property by purchasing a shed with new lawn and snow equipment. With the Low’s Hometowns grant, the organization will be able to empower aging veterans with accessible, community-focused, and affordable housing for years to come.

The Wassamasaw Community Garden and Food Sovereignty program is dedicated to empowering the 1,500-member Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians by fostering sustainable agriculture, food security, and cultural preservation. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the barn that had been significantly damaged by Hurricane Helene will be restored to provide critical support for our food sovereignty efforts, including roof repairs, structural reinforcement, and the installation of new doors and ventilation. These improvements will create a safe, reliable space for storage, directly benefiting our elders and youth by ensuring access to nutritious, culturally significant food, and strengthening the tribal community's resilience for generations to come.

Washington Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1879 and its Rescue services were added in 1961 to serve the residents of the City of Washington and the surrounding communities for any and all Fire and Medical Emergencies. The funds from the Lowe’s Hometown Grant will update and renovate the station kitchen with new cabinets, appliances, countertops and flooring. In doing so, this will provide full time staff and dedicated volunteers with a source of comfort for all they do as well as provide the community of Washington, Illinois a gathering place when needed.

For the past 129 years, Volunteers of America Mid-States’s (VOA) mission has remained the same: to provide positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, VOA will make critical renovations to Liberty Place, the organization's residential treatment facility for men who are recovering from substance use disorder. These renovations will create a more home-like environment for the men living at Liberty Place, which will include repainting the interior of the building to feel more welcoming, and installing new, vinyl flooring to replace some of the rust and wear that has accumulated over the years.

Vision House follows a mission to work with marginalized families who are experiencing homelessness – the hidden homeless in our community. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, our organization will be able to repair stairs and decking, remodel of an apartment kitchen as well as install carpeting and receive a fresh coat of paint. These renovations and repairs will expand our capacity to serve families experiencing homelessness, providing them with a safe and secure environment in which to rebuild their lives.

The Village of Oak Harbor is revitalizing its community through reliving its history and creating great spaces for people of all ages and abilities. The Lowe's Hometowns grant will enable the Village to create inspiring public space along the Portage River featuring riverfront access, a sitting area, public art, and more. These renovations will allow area residents to connect with their natural resources and live happier, healthier lives.

Victory Junction enriches the lives of children with serious illness and chronic medical conditions by providing life-changing camp experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering; all in a medically safe environment at no cost to the camper or their family. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, Camp will be able to replace current bathroom flooring in all cabins and two program areas with non-slip monolithic flooring. These renovations will ensure that Camp is safe, welcoming and accessible to all campers regardless of their cognitive, medical, or physical abilities.

Veterans Community Project (VCP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing Veteran homelessness through the provision of transitional housing and wraparound support services. With support from Lowe’s, VCP of Kansas City will replace damaged roofs on tiny homes, reconfigure the Team 49 Brick Garden, and construct a retaining wall to create safe access around the Outreach Building. These improvements will enhance safety, preserve vital community spaces, and ensure Veterans have a stable, dignified environment as they work toward reintegration and independence.

The USO is dedicated to strengthening the well-being of America’s military service members and their families. With support from the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the center will undergo critical updates, including asbestos and lead paint removal, fresh wall paint, new flooring, drop ceiling tiles, and the installation of updated lighting and a heating element. A dividing wall will also be constructed to improve storage. These renovations will expand the center’s reach and create a safer, more welcoming environment for active-duty personnel, military families, spouse groups, and students from the Submarine School and Coast Guard Academy, fostering community connection and boosting morale.

United Against Poverty-Orlando/UP Orlando serves families and individuals by providing crisis care, case management, transformative education, and personal empowerment, food and household subsidy, employment training and placement, and active referrals to other collaborative social service providers. With Lowes Hometowns funding, the organization will renovate its public restrooms - used by thousands each year - from old, ugly and worn out (and just plain "yucky!"), to new, attractive and accessible! Because everyone deserves to be treated with respect and feel good when they look in the [bathroom] mirror.

The Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department is a full-service emergency response agency performing crisis mitigation by offering fire suppression, fire prevention, technical and vehicle rescue, inspection and code enforcement, medical first response with both basic and advanced life support, and public assistance calls. The Lowe's Hometowns grant will be used to refurbish and improve various Station 5 resource areas, including the dayroom, kitchen, bunk room, restroom, bathroom, exercise room, used by the volunteer emergency First Responders in the fields of fire, medical and support of fire/medical. 

The Town of Cumberland’s Emergency Medical Services (CEMS) has a 50+ year history of commitment to providing exceptional emergency medical services to the residents and visitors of the Town of Cumberland, Rhode Island. The Lowe’s Hometown grant will provide funding to insure a safe, comfortable, and functional environment to support its 24/7 staff. A new mini-split system, upgraded flooring, and the improvements to the training area will insure our team stays prepared and resilient to serve the community for years to come.

For over 140 years, Philly House has been a physical and spiritual sanctuary, empowering those in need of food, shelter and hope in Philadelphia. The Lowe's Hometowns grant will significantly upgrade the Philly House dining room by providing a new tile floor and a fresh coat of paint. Serving over 10,000 meals a month, upgrading this critical spacethis is an investment in our guests' wellbeing, providing a safe place full of dignity and respect.

The Salvation Army serves communities by meeting human needs without discrimination through programs that provide food, shelter, and support for individuals and families in crisis. With the Lowe's Hometowns Grant, The Salvation Army's Portland Moore Street Corps (PMSC) will undergo essential painting repairs to protect its buildings from ongoing vandalism. These improvements will create a safer, more welcoming environment, ensuring that the PMSC remains a trusted resource where at-risk individuals and families can find support and stability as a stepping stone toward self-sufficiency.

The Salvation Army’s Women and Children’s Shelter needs some tender loving care. Through the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the shelter will  receive much-needed attention including new flooring throughout, repairs to the interior walls, including priming and preparing the walls for a fresh coat of paint as well as additional enhancements. These renovations will significantly enhance the shelter's ambiance to provide a homelike feel. Most important, the improvements will have a positive impact on the women and children who come to the shelter in need, providing them with a warm, welcoming environment, a sense of security, knowing they have a safe, comfortable place to find refuge.

The Salvation Army of the Midlands is committed to providing nourishment, education, and stability to individuals and families facing food insecurity. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the organization will transform its existing courtyard into a vibrant community garden, featuring a greenhouse, irrigation system, raised planting beds, picnic tables, and shaded seating for educational programs and outdoor dining. These improvements will create an interactive space where individuals can learn about nutrition, sustainable gardening, and food preparation while increasing access to fresh produce to support our food programs.

The Salvation Army’s mission is to meet human needs without discrimination by providing essential services, including food assistance, to individuals and families facing hardship. With the Lowes Hometown grant funds, the Black Creek, Wisconsin Food Pantry will undergo interior renovations, including repairing walls, replacing flooring, and upgrading windows to create a safer, more efficient, and welcoming space. These improvements will enhance accessibility, increase energy efficiency, and ensure a dignified environment, allowing the pantry to better serve the community and support those experiencing food insecurity.

The INN Between’s mission is to end the cycle of individuals dying on the streets by providing compassionate medical respite and end-of-life care to those experiencing homelessness. With support from Lowe’s Hometowns, The INN Between will repaint and refinish resident rooms to create a more welcoming and dignified healing environment. These upgrades will improve quality of life for residents and reinforce the value of every human life—regardless of housing status.

The Beacon Center exists to remove barriers from our neighbors so that they can live a better life. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the Center will transform its facilities by creating a more welcoming clinic with new furniture, upgraded cabinets, and improved plumbing; expanding food pantry capacity with new shelving, a walk-in freezer, and safer flooring; sealing the roof and installing new flooring to protect and enhance key community spaces; and streamlining services with a new digital check-in kiosk. These improvements will strengthen the center’s ability to serve its neighbors, providing greater comfort, efficiency, and access to essential resources.

TPOM has been providing wraparound services for men and women leaving incarceration for over 10 years at its south Nashville reentry center. The Lowe’s Hometown grant will convert two under-utilized classrooms into four much needed offices. This renovation will create dedicated space for counseling services and sets the stage for a planned expansion of recovery services to the justice-impacted community.

StandUp for Kids Orange County has a mission to end the cycle of youth homelessness, one youth at a time. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the youth center, food pantry and staff offices will receive a fresh coat of paint, new flooring, a new reception desk, improved storage and youth friendly décor. The renovations will provide a more comfortable, clean, safe, and maintainable environment for years to come.