Lowe's Donating $250,000 to American Red Cross for Flood Relief Efforts; Activating Customer Donation Program and 'Racing for Relief'

Lowe's Donating $250,000 to American Red Cross for Flood Relief Efforts; Activating Customer Donation Program and 'Racing for Relief'

MOORESVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In response to the flooding in the Atlanta area, Lowe's is making a $250,000 donation to the American Red CrossDisaster Relief Fund. In addition, all Lowe's stores in Georgia are serving as official cash donation sites to benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which helps people affected by disasters like the recent floods. Store employees will also be on hand to answer questions and provide tips for flood clean up.

"At Lowe's, we are committed to forging alliances with well-respected organizations like the American Red Cross, so we can make sure our contributions and donations from customers will get to those in the hardest-hit areas as efficiently as possible," said Larry D. Stone, Lowe's president, chief operating officer and chairman of Lowe'sCharitable and Educational Foundation. "In addition, Lowe's command center is in full activation, and we are expediting emergency product into affected communities to help customers recover."

In addition, Lowe's, three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and American Le Mans Series division champions Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz will be "Racing for Relief" at the Dover International Speedway and Road Atlanta this weekend to add to the contribution. Funds raised will help to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of disasters like the recent floods.

As part of Racing for Relief, Lowe's has decided to donate $48 for every lap of the scheduled 400 laps that Johnson completes in the Dover 400 on September 27. If Johnson wins his race, Lowe's will donate an additional $4,800. Lowe's will donate $15 for every mile of the scheduled 1,000 miles that the Lowe's Team 15 completes in the Petit Le Mans on September 26, and if Team 15 wins its race in flood-affected Atlanta, Lowe's will donate an additional $15,000. The total amount of donation if both teams win will be $54,000. The Red Cross logo will be displayed on the deck lids of the No. 48 Lowe's Impala SS and the No. 15 Lowe's Acura.

"This has been an incredibly devastating event for Atlanta-area residents, and I know there are so many people who need our help right now," said Johnson. "The Lowe's 48 team will do everything we can to get to victory lane so we can raise as much money as possible. The American Red Cross helps so many people, and it's the least we can do to show our support."

"This is the first time that we have been able to participate in Lowe's 'Racing for Relief' program," said Adrian Fernandez, one of the two Lowe's Team 15 drivers. "Luis and I will do everything we can to make sure we win this race and get $30,000 for the Atlanta area. Since the race is in Atlanta this weekend, we are especially excited about the opportunity to help the local community."

Lowe's first introduced Racing for Relief in April 2000. To date, the program has helped disaster relief efforts for hurricanes, tornados and floods by raising more than $294,000. Since partnering with the Red Cross in 1999, Lowe's has raised more than $18.6 million for disaster relief.

Anyone interested in making a donation to the American Red Cross may visit participating Lowe's stores, donate online at www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

ABOUT LOWE'S:

Lowe's is a proud supporter of the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity International, 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'sCharitable 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.

ABOUT AMERICAN RED CROSS:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization -- not a government agency -- and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.


    Source: Lowe's Companies, Inc.