Giving Tuesday gift aims to provide more stability to low-income Charlotte families
Did you know that Charlotte ranks lowest in economic mobility out of 50 of America’s largest cities?
When a study from Harvard University and University of California-Berkeley revealed that children living in poverty in Charlotte are the least likely to escape poverty when compared to children in America’s 50 largest cities, the city quickly convened a task force to study the issue of economic mobility in Charlotte.
Earlier this year, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force released findings that recognized family stability as a key influence in the trajectory of a child’s life, and highlighted affordable housing as an important factor in ensuring family stability.
This Giving Tuesday, Lowe’s announced a $1 million commitment to affordable housing in Charlotte to help address this important issue. Local affiliates Habitat for Humanity Charlotte and Our Towns Habitat for Humanity will receive these funds to build and repair homes for 20 families in the Greater Charlotte area with hands-on volunteer support from Lowe’s employees.
Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity celebrated this commitment at a ceremonial wall raising on Giving Tuesday in Romare Bearden Park. Lowe’s employees built the wall frame and local leaders including Lowe’s Chief Human Resources Officer Jennifer Weber, Habitat for Humanity Charlotte President & CEO Laura Belcher and Our Towns Habitat for Humanity Interim Executive Director Denise Copeland helped to raise the wall alongside the future recipients of the home, Tyre Black and Latisha Wallace. The walls will ultimately be part of the finished home for the homeowners and their four children. Attendees and the public passing by that afternoon had the opportunity to sign messages of hope on the beams.
“Lowe’s is committed to helping make our community a place of opportunity for all families and children who call Charlotte home,” said Jennifer Weber, Lowe’s chief human resources officer. “We’re proud of this expanded partnership with our local Habitat for Humanity chapters to help provide families more access to safe, affordable homes.”
Weber also serves on the Leading on Opportunity council, created by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force to help implement the recommendations of the Opportunity Task Force to improve economic mobility in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
