An updated, more colorful park, playground and traffic school in San Juan del Rio, Mexico, is once again an important community hub. A colorful mural is giving new life to an old wall in Cieszyn, Poland. Brighter, more colorful buildings are welcoming courageous children with serious illnesses at a transformative camp in Ohio. Local residents near Auckland, New Zealand, are enjoying activities in an environment reflecting the colorful traditions of the area’s Maori and Pasifika people at a restored community center. Young students around the world are learning in brighter, more engaging classrooms.

These are just a few examples of how PPG brought color and vitality to nearly 60 schools, playgrounds and other shared community spaces in 2016 through the COLORFUL COMMUNITIES program. The program provides PPG volunteers, paints, coatings, specialty materials and financial contributions to brighten communities where the company operates around the world.

PPG has donated more than 9,300 gallons (about 35,200 liters) of its paint and coatings, and provided more than $1.5 million in funding, for nearly 70 projects completed since the program’s launch in 2015. Additionally, more than 3,400 PPG and community volunteers have donated around 17,400 volunteer hours to help brighten communities by painting, repairing, cleaning and helping in other ways. To date, the program has positively impacted more than 1.8 million people in 20 countries.

View a Colorful Communities program video, project highlights and more at newsroom.ppg.com/PPGColorfulCommunities.

“PPG employees across the globe generously donated their time and talent in both 2015 and 2016 to bring color and vitality to the communities where they live and work,” said Sue Sloan, PPG executive director of corporate global social responsibility. “We are extremely pleased with the program’s significant growth and success in 2016, and we look forward to maintaining the momentum we have built as the program enters its third year.”

The Colorful Communities program is PPG’s signature initiative for community engagement efforts, with the aim to enhance, protect and beautify neighborhoods where the company operates around the world. The program increases PPG’s commitment to invest in communities and supports projects that transform community spaces, providing PPG volunteers and donated PPG products. The company expects to complete about 75 more Colorful Communities projects this year.

PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We donated nearly $9.8 million in 2016, supporting hundreds of community organizations across 25 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today’s skilled workforce and develop tomorrow’s innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to make an impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving.