Red Vest Volunteer Day on October 28 marks a major milestone in The Kindness Closet’s warehouse renovation, expanding its capacity to provide essential hygiene products to communities across North Carolina.
Lowe’s associates will trade their Red Vests for paint rollers on Wednesday, October 28, when they join The Kindness Closet for a hands-on volunteer day at the nonprofit’s Mooresville warehouse. The Kindness Closet, North Carolina’s only dedicated hygiene bank, is one of 100 organizations nationwide selected from more than 5,000 applicants to receive a $100,000 Lowe’s Community Impact Grant, administered by Points of Light.
The grant is funding a major renovation of The Kindness Closet’s warehouse, improving efficiency, increasing capacity by approximately 30%, and creating a more welcoming and functional environment for the volunteers and community partners who make its mission possible.
When The Kindness Closet moved into its Mooresville warehouse in 2024, it marked an exciting milestone for the growing nonprofit. Just two years later, the organization has already outgrown the current space. Distributing hundreds of thousands of essential hygiene products each year, The Kindness Closet works through schools, healthcare providers, food pantries, shelters and senior agencies to help children, families and individuals access necessities that many take for granted.
While public assistance programs such as SNAP help families put food on the table, they do not cover everyday hygiene essentials such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent or period products. For families already struggling to afford housing, utilities and groceries, these basic necessities can become impossible choices. The Kindness Closet fills this critical gap, helping people maintain their health, confidence and dignity.
“When we moved into this warehouse just two years ago, we thought we had plenty of room to grow,” said Anne Mautner, founder and executive director of The Kindness Closet. “We never imagined how quickly the need for our services would increase. Today, we’re distributing hundreds of thousands of hygiene products each year, and we’ve already outgrown our space. Thanks to this extraordinary investment from Lowe’s, we can transform our expanded warehouse to operate more efficiently, welcome more volunteers and get more essential products into the hands of children, families and seniors who need them. We are incredibly grateful that Lowe’s recognizes the importance of our mission and is investing in our future.”
The renovation will combine two warehouse areas into one open, approximately 3,400-square-foot workspace, creating a more efficient flow for receiving, sorting, packing and distributing hygiene products. Improvements include upgraded lighting, climate control, enhanced safety features, reorganized inventory and shipping areas, and more functional workstations to accommodate larger volunteer groups.
The project will also transform the front office into a welcoming community space where corporate, civic and student groups can gather, learn about hygiene poverty and participate in meaningful volunteer activities. The space will serve as a training area, meeting place and hub for community engagement, strengthening the organization’s ability to bring people together around its mission.
Beyond the financial investment, Lowe’s associates are rolling up their sleeves to help bring the transformation to life. On Wednesday, October 28, Lowe’s Red Vest volunteers will work alongside Kindness Closet board members and volunteers to:
- Paint warehouse and office walls
- Clean and repaint existing heavy-duty shelving and install wood planks
- Set up packing and sorting stations
- Organize inventory into clearly marked workflow zones
- Assemble office furniture
The volunteer day marks an important milestone in the renovation, which is scheduled for completion by December 15, 2026.
The Lowe’s Community Impact Grant is more than an investment in a building. It is an investment in the future of an organization working to ensure that no one in the community has to go without the basic hygiene essentials necessary for health, well-being and dignity.
Media Invitation
Members of the media are invited to attend Lowe’s Red Vest Volunteer Day on Wednesday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Kindness Closet warehouse.
Location: 532 Patterson Ave., Suite 130, Mooresville, NC 28115
Photo and interview opportunities include Lowe’s associates working on the renovation, volunteers organizing inventory and workstations, and interviews with representatives from Lowe’s and The Kindness Closet.
Follow along on social media using #HowLowesHelps.
About The Kindness Closet
The Kindness Closet is a Mooresville, North Carolina-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the state’s only dedicated hygiene bank. Founded in 2018, the organization provides essential hygiene products free of charge to children, families, seniors and individuals in need. Through partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, food pantries, shelters and community agencies, The Kindness Closet distributes hundreds of thousands of hygiene products annually, helping address hygiene poverty and ensuring that everyone has access to the basic necessities that support health, confidence and dignity. Its programs include the Red Cart Project, providing free and discreet access to period products in school bathrooms, and hygiene assistance for students experiencing homelessness, families with young children, seniors and other vulnerable populations.
