One morning in September, something unusual happened at our Renton facility. Instead of our regular programming — case management meetings, childcare activities, employment services — our space was filled with Lowe's employees in red vests, outfitted with hammers, shovels, and lumber.

For three hours, they rebuilt what years of family life had worn down. A pedestrian bridge that hundreds of feet cross daily. Playground retaining walls that had crumbled under the weight of play. Exterior lighting to make evening walks safer. Sturdy picnic tables to host family meals. 

This is what partnership looks like when it goes beyond a financial transaction — and becomes a human one.

The Weight of Wear and Tear

Most apartment complexes expect turnover every year or two. A family moves in, lives their life, moves out. The wear is predictable, manageable, budgetable. 

Transitional housing operates differently. Our facilities in Renton and Shoreline serve multiple families each year — families arriving in crisis, rebuilding their lives, and transitioning to permanent housing. With little downtime between families and without the ready funds of private market apartments for updates and repairs, our spaces work harder because they're serving harder circumstances.

The Seattle Metro Area faces a homelessness crisis 2.6 times the national average, driven by housing costs that have outpaced wages for years. Local families become unhoused not through poor choices but through unforeseen hardships: a medical emergency, a rent increase, a layoff.

Vision House has a 90-92% success rate in helping families transition to permanent housing. That success depends on more than just case management and employment support. It requires a safe, stable space for families to find their footing.

Boots on the (Play)Ground

Vision House was selected as one of 100 recipients nationwide for a Lowe's Hometowns grant. The program, now in its fourth year, represents a five-year, $100 million commitment to restore community spaces across the country.

For Vision House, the grant included both financial support and something equally valuable:  skilled labor from people who understand home maintenance and repairs.

The Renton Lowe's team tackled projects that our staff couldn't handle alone:  

The pedestrian bridge connecting family units to common areas was rebuilt so parents can safely push strollers and children can run across without risk. 

Playground retaining walls and courtyard blocks that had shifted and cracked over years of use were completely replaced, creating stable boundaries for active play areas.

New exterior lighting was installed at entry points and walkways across the property for families returning home after evening work shifts, late classes, or second jobs.

Fresh playground chips were spread across areas where kids climb and swing.

Fall landscape cleanup removed overgrowth and debris, while strategically planted spring bulbs promise future blooms.

Two picnic tables now anchor community gathering spaces — solid, weatherproof surfaces for homework, meals, and birthday parties.

When Partnership Is Personal

Corporate partnerships typically follow a familiar pattern: identify a worthy nonprofit, write a check, issue a press release, move on. It's efficient, scalable, and entirely transactional.

What happened in September was different.

For the Lowe's employees who spent their workday rebuilding playground walls instead of stocking shelves, they transformed abstract statistics into lived reality. For families at Vision House, the professionals investing physical labor in their temporary home sends a powerful message: You matter.

And for Vision House staff, the volunteer day provided expertise that frees up funds for other needs. Our team excels at case management, trauma-informed care, and crisis intervention. The Lowe's team brought construction skills and the time to deploy them properly.

The $200,000 Lowe's Hometowns grant extends far beyond the September volunteer day. Those funds continue supporting critical facility improvements and repairs that maintain dignity throughout our properties. The Lowe's partnership validates our approach: treating transitional housing not as temporary warehousing, but as genuine homes where families rebuild their lives.