Two-Day Playground Build and Community Revitalization Projects Impact Hialeah Families

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rebuilding Together will partner with affiliate Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade, Lowe's and Carter's Kids Jan. 10-11 to build a new playground for John G. Dupuis Elementary School and renovate two nearby homes for local families.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090421/REBUILDINGLOGO)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120106/DC30511LOGO)

More than 100 volunteers from Lowe's, Carter's Kids and Rebuilding Together will join HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse to complete the playground build and home repairs to promote community revitalization and healthy, active lifestyles for kids in the Hialeah neighborhood.

Critical repair work for two local families includes replacing plumbing, roof work, repairing exterior and interior walls and updating utilities. All of the renovations will provide these families with a higher quality of life, and will allow them to remain in their homes longer. Lowe's Heroes will also deliver weatherization kits to local residents so they can make simple updates to their homes to save money and energy.

This will be the fifth community build project Rebuilding Together, Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation and Carter's Kids have hosted across the country in an effort to promote and sustain affordable, safe housing and healthier community youth.

"Lowe's and Carter's Kids have demonstrated a strong commitment to helping Rebuilding Together transform homes and communities," said Gary A. Officer, president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "Our work reaches not only families-in-need, but children and the community-at-large. We approach these rebuilds by focusing on the greater needs of the community, and making sure that we create a healthier way of life in and outside of the home."

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation donated $480,000 to support the playground projects in low-income communities across the United States.  In 2011, volunteer teams installed new playgrounds and revitalized communities in Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Tampa, and Indianapolis.

In addition to the playground build, the Lowe's Charitable and Educational foundation has awarded John G. Dupuis Elementary with a $100,000 Toolbox for Education grant that will be used to make major updates to the facility. Lowe's Heroes volunteers will assist the school in completing the needed repairs.

Media are invited to attend the event, meet volunteers, homeowners, school officials, and conduct interviews.

Details:
Ribbon Cutting
Jan. 11, 12:30 p.m.
1150 West 59th Pl, Hialeah

About Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people, the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America's largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low‐income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000 projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to, energy efficiency, veteran's housing, aging in place and gulf coast reconstruction. www.RebuildingTogether.org.

About Lowe's
Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company's signature education grant program, Lowe's Toolbox for Education^®, has donated nearly $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2006. Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. In 2010, Lowe's and the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

About Carter's Kids
Founded by HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse, Carter's Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and promoting awareness of fitness and self-esteem for America's youth. The purpose is to increase the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and playgrounds in their neighborhoods. The kids then have the opportunity to take an active part in building up their community by using, sharing, and caring for these public spaces. At Nueva Esperanza, Carter's Kids has designed a unique play area that will help students improve their strength and cardiovascular fitness levels. www.carters-kids.org

SOURCE Rebuilding Together