Lowe’s is committed to making homes better for all, and our definition of home extends into our neighborhoods and communities, especially in our hometown – the Greater Charlotte, North Carolina, area. That’s why Lowe’s is proud to announce a $9.25 million commitment to the area in 2020.
The commitment, in the form of funds, products and gift cards provided to charitable organizations, support some of the most critical challenges facing Charlotte today: safe, affordable housing; continuing to grow the skilled trade industry; providing access to technology; and boosting small businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safe, Affordable Housing
Our $3.87 million in Mecklenburg and Iredell Counties supports homeownership, promotes aging in place and contributes to the economic mobility of all families.
$1.67 million will go to Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region to support critical home repair, new home construction and two new apprentices for its apprenticeship program. Since the pandemic began, Habitat Charlotte Region has continued to build despite a significant reduction in volunteers as a result of COVID safety protocols. Even with these challenges, 26 Habitat families have moved into newly completed homes at a time when home has never been more important.
Technology
Lowe’s pledged $1 million to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation to create the Lowe’s Technology Lab at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library’s new main branch. The Lab will offer technology assistance, classes and the opportunity for Library users to test new devices. The Library anticipates the Lowe’s Technology Lab will be one of the facility’s most popular areas.
Skilled Trades
To educate the next generation of skilled trades workers, Lowe’s provided nearly $500,000 in grants to The ROC and She Built This City. The ROC’s youth apprenticeship program trains high school students during their junior and senior years in construction trades, specifically electrical and HVAC technology, advanced carpentry and construction management. The ROC also offers opportunities for paid summer Work-Based Learning internships and permanent job placements with area construction companies.
She Built This City has core programs designed to promote and educate girls and women in the skilled trades and construction industry. Demi Clark, founder of She Built This City, led virtual shop classes in partnership with Lowe’s and its Generation T movement this summer and recently launched a vintage Airstream Mobile Tool Lab to teach students about skilled trades.
This summer, Lowe’s announced $55 million in grants in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to support minority-, women-owned and rural small businesses nationwide that continue to be impacted by the pandemic. Since July, more than 35 small businesses in the Charlotte area have received grants totaling more than $725,000 . Lowe’s also donated $200,000 to LISC Charlotte for neighborhood revitalization projects in the Historic West End.
See below for a full list of organizations Lowe’s is supporting in Charlotte with this $9.25 million commitment:
- 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte
- Apparo
- Central Piedmont Community College
- Charlotte Center City Partners
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Foundation
- Charlotte Museum of History
- City of Charlotte
- Crisis Assistance Ministry
- Digi-Bridge
- E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide)
- Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
- Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region
- Heal Charlotte
- La Noticia
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Charlotte
- Mitchell Community College
- Potions and Pixels
- Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte
- Road2Hire
- She Built This City
- Socialserve/ United Way of Central Carolinas
- The ROC
- Town of Mooresville
- United Way of Central Carolinas
- Urban League of Central Carolinas
- Veterans Bridge Home
- WFAE Finding Home
