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Press Release
August 22, 2000
CONTACT:
David Oliver, Lowe's Home Safety Council
336.658.5495
david.j.oliver@lowes.com
LOWE'S HEROES PROMOTE HOME SAFETY COAST-TO-COAST
Home Improvement Chain Makes a Difference with Grass Roots Program
WILKESBORO, N.C. - In the middle of the night, a Gainesville, Fla., woman woke to the sound of her new carbon monoxide
alarm. The alarm was installed just days before by Lowe's Heroes, a volunteer group comprised of local Lowe's Home
Improvement Warehouse store volunteers and members of a local agency on aging. Without the wake-up call, this woman might
have died from lethal, colorless, odorless fumes.
Thanks to a growing national trend in volunteerism, people like this Gainesville woman are benefiting from corporate
volunteer programs. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, corporate contributions increased 12 percent last year
and are expected to continue to rise this year; and more and more philanthropic activity is hands-on rather than just
donations, according to a recent Time magazine cover story.
"Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse is a leader in this growing trend," said Mary Ellen Fise, general counsel for the
Consumer Federation of America. "The success of their Lowe's Heroes program, which addresses home safety, leverages the
expertise of Lowe's employees and the home safety knowledge of national and local organizations. It's a strategic fit for
Lowe's."
This year, more than 550 Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse stores are participating in the Lowe's Heroes community
outreach program. Each Lowe's Heroes team identifies a community need in a specific home safety area and uses $1,500 to
work with local organizations to address the need. Since 1996, the Lowe's Heroes program has donated more than $3 million
in volunteer time and direct donations. This year, more than 7,500 Lowe's employees are volunteering an estimated 65,000
hours of time for Lowe's Heroes projects.
"According to our recent survey, only 60 percent of Americans believe their homes are safe, down from 72 percent just two
years ago," said David Oliver, executive director of Lowe's Home Safety Council. "Lowe's Home Safety Council is attacking
this problem head-on with the Lowe's Heroes program. With more than 95 percent of our stores participating, people all
over the country will benefit from Lowe's Heroes life-saving partnerships in their local communities."
In 1993, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse founded Lowe's Home Safety Council with the vision of creating safer American
homes. Since then, Lowe's Home Safety Council has invested more than $20 million to educate children, adults, seniors and
families on how to improve the safety and security in their homes. For additional home safety information and free
brochures, consumers can call 1-800-SAFE-HOME or visit www.loweshomesafety.com.
With 1999 sales of $15.9 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is the world's second largest home improvement retailer.
Headquartered in Wilkesboro, N.C., Lowe's is the 15th largest retailer in the U.S. as well as the 34th largest retailer
worldwide. Lowe's and its 100,000 employees are Improving Home Improvement for nearly five million do-it-yourself retail
and commercial business customers each week at more than 600 stores in 39 states. For more information, visit
www.lowes.com.
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Editors note: For more information about Lowe's Heroes projects in your area, please contact Suzanne McCoy, Lowe's
Public Relations, at 336/658-4352.
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