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Lowe’s delivers generator after shelter in Sanford, North Carolina reaches out for help
In a matter of days, hundreds of people from across the Carolinas have rushed to buy emergency supplies to prepare for and endure now Tropical Depression Florence.
Encounter Church, an organization that opened a community shelter in Sanford, North Carolina, was no different.
“We wanted to open up to the community for whatever they need,” said Encounter Church Pastor Josh Jagessar. “A dry place to rest, hot cup of coffee, a donut. Just a dry place for anyone who needs it.”
“The organization came into the store yesterday (Saturday) in need of a generator,” said Lee Hodges, store manager for Sanford Lowe’s.
Hodges and his store have been working with the shelter recently to meet other needs and anticipated they would need help during this storm.
“They [shelter] had been trying to get on their feet for weeks,” Hodges said. “They just got in the building prior to the storm and have already had requests for help from the community.”
So, when the Sanford store received another shipment of generators, Hodges and his team pulled several aside, saving them for special circumstances like this. Hodges said he’s thankful Lowe’s allows them to respond during times of need.
“The company empowers us at the store to help our communities,” he said. “We figured out what their need was and wanted to help them.”
“We’ve worked with Lee and the Lowe’s store before,” Jagessar said. “Lee is more than a Lowe’s Store Manager, he is an advocate for this community. He’s helped us before and I know he’ll continue to help us long after this storm passed.”
Just a few hours after receiving the shipment, two associates from the Sanford store, Billy Campell and Keith Dunn, delivered the generator to the shelter, along with a large roll of plastic to help manage the shelter’s roof leaks.
”The guys at the shelter were so appreciative they wouldn’t shop shaking my hand,” Campbell said. “They must have told me they loved me 100 times, it made me feel really good to be part of it.”
They must have told me they loved me 100 times, it made me feel really good to be part of it.
