Lowe’s and partner distribute 6,000 free hot meals to Lumberton residents after Hurricane Matthew
Flooding spawned by Hurricane Matthew has caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damage to 100,000 homes, businesses and buildings in North Carolina. One of the hardest-hit areas is Lumberton, a city of about 20,000 people that sits about 100 miles south of Raleigh and 70 miles from the coast. The Lumber River peaked at 22 feet three days after Matthew’s landfall, nine feet above the flood stage.
Local businesses remain closed because of power outages and a limited water supply. As the town works to restore some water service to residents, those who have water have been told to boil it and use it conservatively.
One of Lowe’s vendor partners, Compass Group, contributed 5,200 boxed lunches and 50,000 bottles of water to support relief efforts at Lowe’s of Lumberton. Beginning on Friday, Lowe’s and Compass Group provided 6,000 free hot meals from a mobile kitchen staged in the Lowe’s parking lot. In addition, the store hosted a Verizon mobile charging station, portable wash stations and portable toilets to help families impacted by the flooding.