NASCAR champ teams up with Lowe's for tornado relief

Six-time NASCAR Spring Cup champion Jimmie Johnson put his considerable resources to work in the relief effort following the 2013 tornado in Oklahoma.

Together with Lowe's, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation helped fund the reconstruction of three school gyms at Highland East, Plaza Towers Elementary and Briarwood Elementary in Moore, all of which are now ready for the 2014-2015 school year.

“We’re extremely grateful to Lowe’s and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation for the generous donations to help us rebuild these gyms for nearly 1,600 students this year and for all those in the years to come,” said Dr. Robert Romines, superintendent of Moore Public Schools. “Without their donations, the school district would not have been able to complete these projects.”

Lowe's has been conducting a wider tornado-relief effort since the May 2013 storm, donating $1 million toward immediate relief and long-term rebuilding efforts. Lowe's disaster relief partners provided search and rescue assistance at Plaza Towers, and Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers helped distribute supplies in surrounding neighborhood.

Johnson also hosted a relief event at Lowe's of Moore, where he helped distribute food and supplies to local families.

Johnson joined more than 40 Lowe's employees at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Highland East Junior High, celebrating the opening of the gym.

“In the weeks following the storm, Lowe’s and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation reached out to officials to find out what we could do to help rebuild Moore,” Dennis Knowles, Lowe’s executive of U.S. stores, said at the ribbon-cutting. “We’re proud to help these three schools and their students rebuild, move forward and move past the damage inflicted by the tornado."