This summer, it felt like every week brought a new challenge: floods, tornadoes, severe storms, wildfires and heat waves kept entire communities on edge. Behind the scenes, Lowe’s teams were tracking what could come next and preparing to help wherever they were needed.
From June through August, the Lowe’s Command Center was in action nearly every day, 69 out of 92 days, to be exact. It was a summer that just didn’t let up, and communities across the country felt the strain.
But Lowe’s response doesn’t begin when severe weather strikes. The Command Center continually monitors weather and forecasts potential impacts, helping teams anticipate customer needs and move critical products into position before an event, while coordinating additional support in the days that follow.
That preparation helped Lowe’s teams stay ready throughout an especially busy summer and quickly mobilize supplies and support when communities needed them.
Over three months, the Command Center deployed more than 258,000 units of recovery products to stores, helping ensure critical products were in place for customers.
That included at least:
- 27,000 cases of water
- 15,000 gas cans
- 13,000 generators
- 203,000 air conditioners and fans
Lowe’s also mobilized its Bucket Brigade and Tote Brigade relief programs to support neighbors affected by floods, damaging winds, tornadoes and wildfires.
In just three months, teams distributed nearly 6,000 buckets and totes packed with storm recovery essentials to help families start picking up the pieces.
Those relief efforts reached communities across the country, from the Texas Hill Country and West Virginia to communities affected by severe weather in Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, and wildfires in Washington and other parts of the West. Lowe’s teams also responded following tornadoes in Louisiana and multiple severe weather events across the central U.S.
In Gary, Indiana, Lowe’s associates have continued supporting recovery efforts, including hosting two Bucket Brigade events. District Manager Timothy Lucas has helped lead those ongoing efforts and seen firsthand what it means for associates to serve their neighbors.
Our stores are part of these communities. When our neighbors need help, we show up. Seeing our associates serve families face-to-face reminded me that the impact we can make goes far beyond the four walls of our stores. That’s what being part of Lowe’s is all about.
Lowe's district manager
By the time August wrapped up, the numbers painted a picture of a summer that demanded near-constant readiness: 69 days of action. More than 258,000 units of recovery product sent where it was needed. Almost 6,000 relief kits distributed to neighbors across the communities Lowe’s serves.
But the preparation behind those numbers began well before the storms arrived. By anticipating what communities might need and being ready to respond when conditions changed, Lowe’s teams helped neighbors prepare, recover and begin rebuilding throughout a relentless summer.
