Lowes Donates $250,000 to UNCF's Emergency Student Aid Campaign to Help Students Graduate

Lowes Donates $250,000 to UNCF's Emergency Student Aid Campaign to Help Students Graduate

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- UNCF - the United Negro College Fund - the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization, received $250,000 from Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) to support UNCF's Emergency Student Aid Campaign, an initiative to help thousands of recession-impacted students at UNCF's 39-member historically black colleges and universities enroll for their senior year and receive their college degree.

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"Lowe's contribution to UNCF's Emergency Student Aid Campaign is a lifeline to students whose college education is threatened by the recession," said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO. "The Emergency Student Aid Campaign is for the students. Thousands of students at UNCF member colleges have seen family contributions reduced or eliminated due to job loss and pay cuts. The credit crunch has squeezed private student loans off the market. Many of these students wouldn't have been able to register this fall if Lowe's hadn't stepped up."

While the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation grant will reach all 39 UNCF-member institutions, the grant will primarily focus on assisting students at UNCF-member colleges in four states: North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and Virginia. Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation worked with UNCF to determine where it could provide the most impact to students who were in danger of not graduating due to a financial gap.

"Lowe's commitment to improving communities begins by supporting organizations that give students the resources to become tomorrow's employees, homeowners and community leaders," said Larry Stone, chairman of Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. "By supporting organizations like UNCF, Lowe's is contributing to a cause that is important to our customers and employees and invests in helping students achieve their fullest potential by completing their college degrees."

To make a donation to UNCF's Emergency Student Aid Campaign, visit www.uncf.org and click on Emergency Student Aid or call 1-800-332-UNCF (8623) to help keep kids in college.

Since its founding, UNCF has helped 350,000 students earn degrees from its 39 member colleges and universities. Today, 55,000 students attend UNCF member institutions each year.

About UNCF

UNCF -- the United Negro College Fund -- is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."(R) Learn more at www.UNCF.org

ABOUT LOWE'S

Lowe's is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country. In 2008, Lowe's and the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $25 million to support community and education projects in the United States and Canada. Lowe's also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe's Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe's is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company with fiscal year 2008 sales of $48.2 billion and has more than 1,675 stores in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.

SOURCE United Negro College Fund