Lowe's to give makeovers to "10 Bleakest Cities of 2015"

New York -- Lowe’s is looking to put smile on the face of residents who live in the 10 U.S. cities hardest hit by this past winter by giving the areas a makeover. Lowe's said it will deploy Lowe’s "Heroes," or employee volunteers, to visit the "10 Bleakest Cities of 2015" to complete makeover projects that have been neglected or delayed because of extreme winter conditions. Volunteers will complete projects such as painting, landscaping, creating outdoor rooms and adding curb appeal throughout the spring season.



"The data doesn't lie – this has been one of the harshest winters in recent history and people are more than ready to shed the snow shovels and welcome spring," said Steve Hilberg, senior climatologist/meteorologist for the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the University of Illinois.



In March, Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers kicked off the spring season by removing snow and brightening spirits at Boston's Leahy-Holloran Community Center, where Lowe's and Rebuilding Together installed a playground last year. The team will be back in Boston, which has experienced one of the snowiest winters in recorded history, to complete a spring makeover project once the ground has thawed.



The following cities (listed in alphabetical order) make up Lowe's list of the U.S. cities with the harshest winters: Boston, Buffalo; Detroit; Hartford; Louisville; Nashville; Newark; New York City; Portland, Maine; and Providence.



Lowe’s says research shows that most adults find projects during winter that they need to complete in their homes. In fact, 87% of those consumers say there are things inside of their homes that need to be fixed that bother them every time they look at them. Lowe’s says it will be offering inspiration and guidance at lowes.com for consumers to get started on their to-do lists now.