LAS VEGAS - Lowe's, a President's Circle Sponsor of Rebuilding Together, is kicking-off home rehabilitation projects nationwide this fall to address critical home needs during cold weather months. Since 2007, The Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation has been an active partner of Rebuilding Together and supports the organization's work across the country.

During the course of the fall, Lowe's will support 65 Rebuilding Together affiliates, including Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada, in Las Vegas, by helping them achieve their mission of giving low-income homeowners a safe and healthy home. Each of the affiliates will receive $8,000 in funding to focus on weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades for low-income homeowners. Recipients can expect to see a wide range of modifications such as new window and/or door installation, insulation, caulking, sealing existing windows and doors, installing energy efficient furnaces and heaters, and other ways to increase warmth and help reduce overall utility costs in time for winter.

This $520,000 grant is part of the overall $2 million Lowe's has donated to Rebuilding Together's mission for 2012.

Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada, along with 40 community volunteers, including Lowe's Heroes employees volunteers, will rehabilitate the home of a retired Air Force veteran and his disabled wife. The homeowners, who are long-time residents of Las Vegas, are in dire need of home repairs due to limited resources and years of structural deterioration. Work will include repairing a leaking roof, and its adjacent collapsed ceiling, and plumbing repairs to the kitchen faucets. When the work is completed the home will have a stabilized roof and ceiling, new kitchen cabinets and countertops, exterior repairs and paint and overall property cleanup.

As fall and winter approaches, now is the time to act for homeowners in need of critical repairs to their home," said Marshall Croom, chairman of Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. "That's why Rebuilding Together and Lowe's Heroes volunteers are on a mission to make simple, yet impactful updates like adding weather stripping, insulation and caulking to homes this fall so that low-income homeowners across the country can stay warm, reduce energy consumption and also cut back on high heating bills."

Since the beginning of this impactful partnership, Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation has donated $1 million annually to Rebuilding Together. In 2012, Lowe's doubled their support to $2 million dollars. Over $7 million has been contributed to support 687 Lowe's and Rebuilding Together projects nationwide.

"Lowe's has been an amazing supporter of Rebuilding Together since our partnership began. We are very appreciative that Lowe's is continuing to support our AmeriCorps service members and act as such great advocates for the importance of improving energy efficiency and safety in housing," said Gary A. Officer, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "Their funding helps ensure that low-income homeowners can live in a safe and healthy home." The grant also supports Rebuilding Together's AmeriCorps program on a national level. In addition to the energy efficiency upgrades, Rebuilding Together AmeriCorps members will help provide safety modifications to those in need, such as wheelchair ramps, grab bars, handrails, and other measures to help prevent falls among homeowners who are elderly and/or disabled. Lowe's has been a sponsor of the Rebuilding Together AmeriCorps program since 2008, giving more than $425,000 in funds to support the members and their affiliates.

Source: Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation