The Wassamasaw Community Garden and Food Sovereignty program is dedicated to empowering the 1,500-member Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians by fostering sustainable agriculture, food security, and cultural preservation. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the barn that had been significantly damaged by Hurricane Helene will be restored to provide critical support for our food sovereignty efforts, including roof repairs, structural reinforcement, and the installation of new doors and ventilation.

The Salvation Army of the Midlands is committed to providing nourishment, education, and stability to individuals and families facing food insecurity. With the Lowe’s Hometowns grant, the organization will transform its existing courtyard into a vibrant community garden, featuring a greenhouse, irrigation system, raised planting beds, picnic tables, and shaded seating for educational programs and outdoor dining.

Jean’s Angels helps over 1,500 veterans, homeless individuals, senior citizens and youth monthly. The Lowe's Hometowns project will help Jean's Angels achieve their vision to repurpose, operate and fully staff a building to provide outreach services. The project will help build a 1,000 square foot addition to the current building.

Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries tends to the physical, emotional and relational needs of children whose families are in crisis by providing housing, food, and clothing within a safe community of group homes and through a network of foster parents. The Lowe’s Hometowns grant is enabling renovations to a guest house that will provide the opportunity for families to come visit their children for a weekend, including updated bathrooms, lighting, gutters, appliances, and paint, flooring and furniture for all 13 bedrooms.

The Jake Koenigsdorf Foundation reduces the barriers to recovery by providing support, education and recovery resources for people affected by substance use disorder who are willing to build a long-term solution. The Foundation has completed extensive remodeling of a 1900 victorian but has several remaining critical safety needs including adding a new back deck and an external emergency exit staircase.

Pickens Elementary School wants to create an outdoor learning environment and garden to include a covered pavilion for students and teachers. Such a peaceful location will especially help the students PES serves who have emotional or behavioral challenges. The Hope Garden would also offer many hands-on learning opportunities, and the school would like to include a greenhouse.

A YMCA seeks to renovate and upgrade its rundown and unsafe sports fields to make them safer and more accessible for the children and other community members who use them, so it can continue to run sports leagues, summer camps and other programs that are vital to the community.

A community center that serves as a meeting place for residents and provides after-school programming including academic tutoring, character building skills, computer assisted learning, arts and cultural opportunities as well as athletic programs wishes to renovate the aging space so it can continue to serve community members