The Kindness Closet, North Carolina's only dedicated hygiene bank, will use a $100,000 Lowe's grant to turn its Mooresville warehouse into one 3,400-square-foot space.

The Kindness Closet, a Mooresville nonprofit that hands out soap, toothpaste and period products free of charge, has won a $100,000 Lowe’s Community Impact Grant to expand its warehouse.

The group calls itself North Carolina’s only dedicated hygiene bank. It was one of 100 organizations picked from more than 5,000 applicants nationwide, the nonprofit said. Points of Light administers the grant. The nonprofit said the program is Lowe’s largest ever for community impact.

The money pays for a renovation that will join two warehouse areas into one open workspace of about 3,400 square feet. The nonprofit expects that to raise its capacity by about 30%. The work is due to finish by Dec. 15.

Outgrown in two years

The Kindness Closet moved into its warehouse at 532 Patterson Ave. in 2024. Two years later it has run out of room, the nonprofit said. It now gives out hundreds of thousands of hygiene products a year through schools, healthcare providers, food pantries, shelters and senior agencies.

“When we moved into this warehouse just two years ago, we thought we had plenty of room to grow,” said Anne Mautner, the founder and executive director. “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.”

An open warehouse floor with shelving, boxes, a rolling ladder and a cart of flat-packed furniture
The warehouse at the midpoint of the renovation, with flat-packed furniture on a cart. Photo: supplied by The Kindness Closet

“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,” Mautner said. “We are incredibly grateful that Lowe’s recognizes the importance of our mission and is investing in our future.”

What changes

The nonprofit said the renovation includes:

  • one open floor for receiving, sorting, packing and shipping products
  • upgraded lighting and climate control
  • added safety features
  • reorganized inventory and shipping areas
  • workstations big enough for larger volunteer groups

The front office will become a community room. Corporate, civic and student groups will be able to meet there, learn about hygiene poverty and volunteer. It will also serve as a training area.

The Kindness Closet front office with a blue wall, gray carpet, display shelves and a doorway through to a work area
The Kindness Closet's front office before the renovation. Photo: supplied by The Kindness Closet

Red Vest day on Wednesday

Lowe’s associates in their red vests will join Kindness Closet board members and volunteers at the warehouse on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The nonprofit said they will:

  • paint the warehouse and office walls
  • clean and repaint the heavy-duty shelving and fit wood planks
  • set up packing and sorting stations
  • sort inventory into marked workflow zones
  • put together office furniture

The day is for the Lowe’s crew and the nonprofit’s own volunteers. Lowe’s is sharing it on social media under #HowLowesHelps.

An office mid-renovation with patched drywall, a partly painted blue wall, a paint bucket and shelving in the room beyond
The office partway through the renovation, with fresh drywall and a wall half painted. Photo: supplied by The Kindness Closet

Why hygiene products

SNAP and similar programs help families buy food but do not cover soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent or period products, the nonprofit noted. Families already stretched by rent, utilities and groceries can end up going without.

The Kindness Closet was founded in 2018 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its Red Cart Project puts free period products in school bathrooms. It also helps students experiencing homelessness, families with young children and seniors.

More is on The Kindness Closet’s website.