PPG Completes Project at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center

PPG announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project that helped revitalize CHILD’S WAY®, a Pediatric Extended Care Center (PECC) at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center. The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and paint products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world, such as in Pittsburgh, PPG’s global headquarters city.

The project brought together more than 60 volunteers, who spent approximately 240 hours painting hallways and classrooms, as well as adding two colorful murals. PPG provided $41,900 to assist with the project, including $10,000 from the PPG Foundation to support science, technology, engineering and math programs.

Volunteers painted the facility using 27 gallons of PPG PAINTS™ PURE PERFORMANCE product in a muted color palette conducive to learning and healing, including PPG Paints River Rock and Lilac Sachet. These colors will enhance the lives of children in Child’s Way who have been diagnosed with visual impairments such as cortical visual impairment (CVI), the most common form of childhood blindness. Exposure to the subdued colors are important for children with CVI because it creates a comfortable atmosphere for learning.

“It’s incredible how color can have a positive impact on a space and a child’s experience within that space,” said Sue Sloan, PPG executive director, corporate global social responsibility. “In addition to the PPG Paints colors creating a beautiful atmosphere, it’s also bringing comfort and a positive learning environment to medically fragile children who are diagnosed with visual impairments.”

“Thanks to PPG, the Child’s Way facility is a comfortable and cheerful place for our children to learn, play and grow,” said Pam Schanwald, chief executive officer, The Children’s Home. “We’re grateful to have community partners that allow us to continue our mission of promoting the health and well-being of infants and children through services that establish and strengthen families.”

Child’s Way, the first PECC in Pennsylvania, offers an alternative or supplement to in-home nursing and therapy care for medically fragile children ages birth to 21. Similar to a typical day care center, Child’s Way is divided into five classrooms: infant, younger toddler, older toddler, preschool and school-age. Each classroom is led by a team of experienced pediatric registered nurses and teachers who work together to provide children with necessary medical care simultaneous to educational, developmental and social activities. Child’s Way PECC has served over 400 children since its founding in 1998.