Oak Ridge North’s Project Beacon is one of 100 nonprofits that received a Lowe’s Hometowns grant, getting $105,000 to support improvements at the Beacon Access Center. The goal is to provide sustainable solutions for the lifelong educational, vocational, social and residential needs of the neurodiverse community in Montgomery County.
Project Beacon’s Oak Ridge North Beacon Access Center campus came alive with energy as more than two dozen Lowe’s executives, store managers and Red Vest Associates arrived for the Lowe’s Red Vest Workday — powered by the $105,000 grant.
Beacon Access Center, which opened in May, underwent Phase 2 improvements with this grant. The project enhanced safety, accessibility and sensory responsiveness. That means new durable flooring, improved lighting options and controls, water filtration, electromechanical window shades and essential signage were all installed. Additionally, the team created a calming space with tactile panels and a water feature, providing a sensory retreat for adults with autism.
“The Lowe’s Hometown grant helped us to transform the Beacon Access Center into a truly sensory-friendly learning environment,” Project Beacon executive director Kelly Baughman says. “This investment is creating a versatile, welcoming space where individuals of all ability levels can feel comfortable, engaged and empowered — laying the foundation for meaningful learning, connection and lifelong growth.”
Upgraded outdoor spaces are designed to foster socialization and recreation at the Beacon Access Center.
Lowe’s volunteers spent the day building, painting, lifting, cleaning and creating — turning vision into reality as they constructed Project Beacon’s new Outdoor Classroom and Recreation Area, a critical expansion of the Beacon Access Center. This space is designed to give neurodiverse adults access to calming natural spaces and hands-on learning experiences.
Custom-built picnic tables and raised garden beds will provide sensory-friendly spaces where everyone can gather, learn and experience the therapeutic benefits of gardening and nature.
The Outdoor Classroom and Recreation Area is just one component of Project Beacon’s broader Lowe’s Hometowns Project, which also included upgrades such as durable new flooring, improved lighting and communication systems, sensory-friendly features and wayfinding signage.
The crew power-washed the building’s entrance, built new hanging racks for personal items, refreshed paint and shaped the outdoor environment into a place where skill building and connection can flourish.
Going Beyond the Basics With Project Beacon
Lowe’s employees even dug into their own pockets. They took up a collection and surprised Project Beacon with an 86-inch TV for the center’s Zen Zone and a 43-inch TV for the staff lunchroom. They installed both as part of the work day.
Education for Tomorrow Alliance‘s president Monica Bomkamp Enia also brought a team of young adult volunteers who partnered with Red Vest mentors to build racks, patch and paint walls, and clean windows.
Lowe’s Hometowns, now in its fourth year, is part of Lowe’s $100 million, five-year commitment to revitalizing communities nationwide. In 2025, the program supported nearly 1,800 projects, with 100 of them large-scale renovations.
This Red Vest Day certainly turned into a red letter day for Project Beacon.
The Beacon Access Center is located at 27316 Spectrum Way in Oak Ridge North.