Lowe's Increases Pledge For Hurricane Katrina Relief

Raises Match for Customer Donations to $2 Million

WASHINGTON, Saturday, September 03, 2005 — Because of the overwhelming response from customers, Lowe's Companies, Inc. announced today it will increase to $2 million from $1 million its commitment to match customer donations made to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Lowe's activated its in-store customer donation program on Monday to benefit the Red Cross at all of its more than 1,125 locations nationwide.

"In just a few days, our customers have generously donated more than $820,000 to disaster relief efforts through our customer donation program," said Robert A. Niblock, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO. "As we continue to see images of the devastation in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, Lowe's is proud to extend our commitment to match customer donations up to a total of $2 million to assist the Red Cross in meeting the needs of the thousands left homeless as a result of this disaster."

During 2004 alone, Lowe's and its customers raised $1.5 million to assist Red Cross efforts, including relief to the thousands impacted by the 2004 hurricanes that hit the southeastern United States. Since 2000, Lowe's has raised more than $7.5 million for the Red Cross.

As of Friday afternoon, Lowe's had three stores closed in Louisiana, and was focusing on replenishing more than 45 stores with emergency product to assist in the rebuilding and recovery efforts.

ABOUT LOWE'S:
Lowe's is a proud supporter of the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity International, United Way of America and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country. Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation awards more than $3 million annually to diverse organizations across the United States. Lowe's also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe's Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe's is a FORTUNE® 50 company with fiscal year 2004 sales of $36.5 billion and has more than 1,125 stores in 49 states. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.

ABOUT AMERICAN RED CROSS:
The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, across the country and across the world—in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new—the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood—the gift of life—through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.