Grant will support essential improvements to help maintain safe, engaging learning spaces for nearly 195,000 children and families each year
AUGUST 11, 2026 – IRVINE, Calif. Pretend City Children’s Museum has proudly been selected to receive a $75,000 grant as part Lowe’s Community Impact program, to support improvements that will strengthen the museum’s learning spaces and help preserve an important early childhood resource for local families.
Through the program, Lowe’s will invest $10 million in Lowe’s Community Impact Grants and an additional $10 million to support more than 2,000 associate-led impact projects that will improve community spaces nationwide.
As one of 100 community projects selected in 2026, Pretend City will use the Lowe’s Community Impact Grant to upgrade essential equipment and tools used to maintain, repair, and refresh its learning spaces. The investment will help extend the life of heavily used exhibits, improve maintenance capabilities, and allow the museum to dedicate more resources to experiences and programs that directly benefit children and families.
“We are incredibly grateful to Lowe’s for this generous investment in Pretend City,” said Ellen Pais, Chief Executive Officer of Pretend City Children’s Museum. “Our learning spaces welcome hundreds of thousands of children and families each year, and keeping them safe, engaging and ready for play takes a tremendous amount of care behind the scenes. This grant gives our team the tools and resources to continue caring for these spaces so families can enjoy them together in play and learning.”
The investment fulfills Lowe’s Community Impact Program’s five-year, $100 million commitment to revitalizing and restoring hometowns. Projects were selected from more than 5,000 nominations through Lowe’s Community Bucket List. Each project will address local needs, from expanding food pantries to restoring shelters and safe housing resources to reviving outdoor spaces and renovating facilities for first responders and veterans.
Visit Lowes.com/HowWeHelp and follow #HowLowesHelps on social media to learn more about Lowe’s Community Impact Projects and follow progress of each project as Lowe’s helps transform spaces nationwide.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Maria Tinajero-Dowdle
Maria.TDowdle@pretendcity.org
949-428-3900 x 224
PublicRelations@lowes.com
About Pretend City Children’s Museum
Pretend City Children’s Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, featuring an interconnected city designed to prepare children to meet milestones and prepare for school through imaginative play. Their 19 learning spaces, developmental screenings, and tools for caregivers, are designed to balance playful learning and engagement for the entire family. For more information about Pretend City Children’s Museum and their commitment to fostering children’s development through play, please visit www.pretendcity.org
