By Cindy Jackson
Reporter
November 13, 2019
Hands on. Hearts in.
That’s the tagline for how one of America’s most-loved brands Lowe’s (according to
Morning Consult) stays engaged in its communities – some 2,200 plus in the US and
Canada.
This Wednesday, November 13, 2019, five of this company’s local associates were
actively engaged and working hard at one of Nassau County’s most beloved and well-
run nonprofits. It was the Red Vest Way (i.e. Lowe’s) at none other than Gracie’s
Kitchen. Gracie’s Kitchen, sometimes referred to as The Yulee Soup Kitchen, can be
found the back of Old Yulee Middle School, on the corner of US 17 North and Pages
Dairy Road. It serves between 250 to 350 dinners per night – for a grand total of
37,000 meals served in 2018.
Rick Stevens, an Administrative Support Associate at Lowe’s located at 474283 E SR-
200, was tasked with finding a worthy organization with which Lowe’s Heroes could get
involved. Each Lowe’s store across the country selects one such project a year. As a
longtime volunteer serving meals at Gracie’s Kitchen, Stevens knew just where to go.
And Store Manager, Lamar Bryant, gave his stamp of approval.
Gracie’s Kitchen does not own the property so any major renovation was basically out
of the question. But what the organization did need and which Lowe’s could provide
perhaps better than anyone else was extra storage — extra storage in the bathrooms
and hallways for mops and brooms but also extra storage in the all-important food
pantry. And now they have it. The best that money can buy. The metal racks in the
food pantry are NSF certified (National Sanitation Foundation). And what does that
mean? “NSF is the premier name in food equipment certification, providing
assurance . . . that equipment is made from safe materials, is designed and constructed
for easy cleanability and performs as intended,” as explained on their website. When nothing but the best will do.
In addition to shelving, the crew from Lowe’s did some pressure washing, brought in
new chairs, and added some nice potted plants to the landscape.
Says Mr. Stevens, “it was easy to get a crew together and I’d love to work at Gracie’s
Kitchen again next year.” The ARC, located just a few miles down the road from
Gracie’s Kitchen has been a recipient of help from Lowe’s Heroes in years past.
As noted proudly on the company website, 100% of Lowe’s U.S. stores participated in
the Lowe’s Heroes volunteer program in 2018 – with Lowe’s Heroes logging more than
200,000 volunteer hours.
Editor’s Note: Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, Cindy received her BA in Political Science from Dickinson College. Upon graduation, Cindy began her career on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide and director. She later became a part of the public relations and lobbying team of the American Iron and Steel Institute and served as director of the office of state legislative affairs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Cindy was involved in economic development with the state of Maryland, and served as executive director of Leadership Washington County. As a community volunteer, Cindy participates in numerous volunteer activities serving as a member of Sunrise Rotary, and as board member of Cummer Amelia Board of Directors.