In response to Hurricane Laura, seven Lowe’s stores in the most impacted areas hosted drive-through bucket brigade events this week, donating supplies to residents who are continuing to endure the effects of the storm as they begin to rebuild.
“It’s been devastating,” said local resident Bruce Wilson, who picked up supplies at the Leesville, Louisiana location on Friday. “My family and I have been displaced. We’ve had to allocate water and food for the last week and a half. My house is uninhabitable right now, and we’re helping another family whose house was completely destroyed. It’s 95 degrees and we have no power, so we had to go find a hotel.
“This is all a great relief. Lowe’s is a great asset. Everything is still readily available. Lowe’s was even able to give me a roof estimate, and you can’t find anyone else in the area because everyone is overwhelmed.”
Each store distributed 500 buckets, which include supplies such as dust masks, goggles, bug spray, bottled water and mold remover. Associates at Lowe’s distribution centers in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas assembled the buckets earlier this summer.
Lowe's has shipped more than 4,400 trucks of product and emergency supplies to more than 450 stores in areas across Hurricane Laura’s path. About 200 Emergency Response Team (ERT) members deployed this week to impacted areas. These associates are specially trained and voluntarily leave their home stores to serve at stores affected by storms. They provide additional customer support and give fellow associates impacted by the hurricane a chance to focus on their families.
“Hurricane Laura delivered catastrophic damage to so many people and communities. I am so proud of our associates, whose hard work, dedication and care for our customers and communities is truly making a direct impact on people’s wellbeing in such a time of need,” said Lowe’s south division president Matt Monroe. “Even with so many associates themselves having been impacted, they know the great need that exists in their communities, and they are putting the needs of others before themselves. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization, our stores and most importantly the communities we serve.”
Lowe’s previously announced it will donate $1 million to support relief efforts after Hurricane Laura hammered the Gulf Coast, causing catastrophic flooding and destruction. As part of that announcement, Lowe's immediately donated $500,000 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
