APPLETON, WI [July 25, 2022] – Harbor House, an agency committed to the awareness and prevention of domestic abuse and sexual assault serving Outagamie and Calumet Counties, has announced they are the recipient of a Lowe’s Hometown Grant for critical upgrades that enhance and expand Harbor House services.
“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this grant from Lowe’s and want to thank them and Dixon Ticonderoga for making these upgrades to our facility possible,” said Amber Schroeder, Executive Director of Harbor House. “The programs and services provided by Harbor House are literally changing lives throughout the Fox Cities, so to know that work is recognized and valued by organizations like Lowe’s and Dixon Ticonderoga means a lot to our organization.”
Harbor House has been serving the Fox Valley for 37 years and typically serves around 1,500 people each year. In addition, Harbor House and Sexual Assault Crisis Center-Fox Cities have joined forces under one roof to provide 24/7 support to victims of domestic and sexual violence in anticipation of a merger between the organizations this fall. This grant will help Harbor House scale up the services they provide to both victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Appleton-based Dixon Ticonderoga Company (formerly Pacon Corporation) was the catalyst for the grant, nominating Harbor House as a recipient. A supplier to Lowe’s, Dixon Ticonderoga was invited by Lowe’s to submit a grant request on behalf of a local non-profit and chose Harbor House as their nominee.
“Domestic violence and sexual assault in our community are incredibly serious problems and we wanted to help,” said John Carlberg, President and CEO of Dixon Ticonderoga. “When Lowe’s offered us this opportunity to apply for a grant on behalf of a local non-profit organization, we very quickly landed on Harbor House as the benefactor. We worked closely with them to complete the grant application and we’re thrilled that Lowe’s saw the need in our community and is stepping up to help.”
The Lowe’s Hometowns program is a $100 million commitment over five years to the communities Lowe’s serves by providing grants to help restore and revitalize spaces that serve as the hubs and heartbeats of U.S. communities. Harbor House is one of 100 organizations to receive a grant this year.
“We’re excited to continue improving hometowns across the country by building on our longstanding commitment to serving the communities where we live and work,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s Chairman and CEO. “With support from our associates, neighbors and partners, Lowe’s Hometowns is addressing urgent needs in our communities and Harbor House is certainly a worthy recipient.”
The grant received will allow Harbor House to complete three improvement projects at their Appleton facility:
- Installation of a new, secure entrance to create a profound sense of safety and peace of mind for clients, specifically victims of sexual assault.
- Transform an existing space into a boutique where all clients can shop for clothes and personal items at no charge. Often clients are fleeing dangerous situations and in some cases, personal belongings are left behind or may become evidence.
- Create dedicated space for victims of sexual assault to receive individual and group support, advocacy, and education. This private space will also be used for victims to meet with law enforcement, medical supports and community partners.
Work on each of these projects will take place between July and November of this year. Volunteers from Lowe’s and Dixon Ticonderoga will help complete the projects.
“We live in an incredibly generous community that rises up again and again to ensure victims have the services and support programs they need to feel safe and heard,” said Amber Schroeder, Executive Director of Harbor House. “As Harbor House expands its services, these upgrades provide enhanced security, a dedicated entrance for sexual assault victims, as well as dedicated space for new programming and an enhanced experience for victims in need of additional resources. We are thrilled to serve this critical role of support in our community thanks in large part to this generosity.”
