PPG Foundation Invests Nearly $60,000 in Chicago-area Organizations

PPG announced that the PPG Foundation invested nearly $60,000 to support educational initiatives and economic development efforts in the Chicago area.

The grants highlight PPG’s commitment to the communities where the company has a presence and the foundation’s priority of increasing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational opportunities for youth. The donations were made in 2018 on behalf of PPG’s architectural coatings business, which operates 13 PPG PAINTS stores in the Chicago area.

The grant recipients and funding purposes were:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) – $9,000 for the implementation of BGCC’s do-it-yourself (DIY) STEM programming, which serves approximately 18,000 youth at 23 sites during the school year;
• Chicago Urban League – $15,000 toward Project Ready, which is a middle school STEM module and summer camp that aims to inspire youth who are interested in pursuing STEM academics and careers;
• Lewis University – $10,000 to support the Girls Create with Technology program for middle school girls. The program addresses the underrepresentation of women in the technical and computer science fields;
• Lumity – $15,000 to support Lumity’s Career Readiness program, which serves approximately 875 youth in underserved communities who are at risk of not graduating high school or pursuing a post-secondary college or career path;
• Project SYNCERE – $10,000 for the ENpowered program, which is designed to increase students’ interest in, and understanding of, STEM disciplines while creating pathways for continued STEM education.

“PPG takes pride in supporting local organizations that share a common interest in the fields of science and technology,” said Justin Williams, PPG regional sales manager, Chicago. “The students in our communities are building the foundation for a successful future through these key programs and opportunities.”