PPG has donated $12,100 to help two child-centered organizations in Russia expand their programs and services to area youth. The contributions were made on behalf of the PPG facilities in Lipetsk and Kolomna, Russia.

In rural Lipetsk, a donation enabled administrators at the Griazy orphanage to repair and update the building’s gymnasium. The project received additional support from local PPG employees, many of whom volunteered to help renovate the heavily-used space. Using paints donated by PPG and its distributor, volunteers replaced toxic materials on floors and walls with safer PPG products and worked side-by-side with children who live in the orphanage to add decorative touches throughout the gymnasium.

Five hours north of Lipetsk, a donation is enabling a local school in Kolomna to teach children about road safety. With support from PPG, the Kolomna Gymnasium No. 2 Kvantor, located near Moscow, recently purchased and installed an interactive road-safety training program to increase children’s awareness of common traffic hazards and how to avoid them. Employees at the PPG facility in Kolomna requested a donation to fund the program because they felt their community needed it.

“As a community partner, PPG wants to support local organizations that are making a difference where our employees work and live,” said Jens Brackebusch, PPG general manager, Russia. “This is an important part of our global mission to be caring, responsible corporate citizens in our communities.”

To better serve its growing customer base in Russia and Eastern Europe, PPG is currently completing a state-of-the-art coatings facility expected to open this summer in Lipetsk. It will provide industrial, automotive, packaging, and protective and marine coatings. The Kolomna facility manufactures adhesives and sealants.