The PPG Foundation recently invested nearly $150,000 in 23 northern Ohio organizations in support of educational and community sustainability programs. The grants were made on behalf of PPG’s Euclid industrial coatings facility, Cleveland automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings facility and Barberton specialty coatings and materials facility.

“PPG is proud to support these organizations, which are helping the youth of our area gain the skills, knowledge and opportunities they need to be successful now and into the future,” said Jim Priddy, PPG plant manager, Cleveland.

The Barberton grant recipients and funding purposes are:

    Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio: $1,000 for programs to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
    Stark State College Foundation: $6,000 for the expansion of the welding course offerings at the college’s Barberton Satellite Center.
    United Way of Summit County: $2,000 in support of educational, health and human services programs.
    University of Akron Foundation: $21,000 for the Corrosion Engineering Program, Women in Engineering Summer Camp Program and PPG Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academics program scholarships.

The Cleveland grant recipients and funding purposes are:

•     Cleveland Metroparks: $2,500 for public and school programs at Rocky River Nature Center, which is Cleveland Metroparks' most visited nature center.
•     Friends of the Cleveland Public Library: $4,500 to support programming for teens and youth to develop critical skills through hands-on activities that explore their interests in science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).
•     Cleveland Zoological Society: $7,500 for educational experiences at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, with a special focus on underserved youth.
•     Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park: $3,000 in scholarships for children from lower-income families in northeast Ohio to attend the four-day All the Rivers Run learning adventure in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
•     Cuyahoga Community College Foundation: $10,886 for the Youth Technology Academy, which exposes students who traditionally do not have access to basic technology training and career information to cutting-edge technologies that have real-world applications.
•     Global Ambassadors Language Academy: $19,900 to expand the How the World Works project, which helps students develop foundational math and science skills through hands-on learning experiences.
•     Great Lakes Science Center: $15,000 for educational programs, including summer camps, science demonstrations and special themed events.
•     Ideastream: $4,500 to support the broadcast of WVIZ/PBS Kids, including the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel, and related education outreach services in the community.
•     Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland: $3,600 for career-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy educational programs for students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, including classes led by PPG volunteers.
•     Lenawee County Education Foundation: $5,000 in scholarships and equipment for career camps focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
•     Ohio Chemistry Technology Council: $3,000 in funding to send six teachers to the Teacher, Industry & Environment Conference, which provides science educators with first-hand experience of science principles and environmental challenges.
•     Open Doors: $2,500 for the Summer Internship Program, which forms partnerships with local businesses to provide paid summer work experiences to high school scholars.
•     Polaris Educational Foundation: $7,500 to support expansion of the Polaris Career Center, which offers STEM programs to middle and high school students.
•     Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum: $3,000 for Toddler Rock, Rockin’ the Schools and other programs that engage students in music, language arts, social studies and technology.
•     United Way of Greater Cleveland: $15,000 to support educational, health and human services programs.
•     YMCA of Greater Cleveland: $2,500 for after-school, pre-kindergarten and summer camp programs using a STEM curriculum to teach children ages 3 to 12.

The Euclid grant recipients and funding purposes are:

•     Euclid Historical Society: $1,500 to support the restoration of the Euclid History Museum.
•     Euclid Hunger Center: $1,000 for upgrading an additional space that will house a newly created resource center.
•     University Circle Inc.: $5,000 in continued support for the Future Connections internship and career-readiness program for Cleveland-area rising high school seniors. The program provides summer learning experiences to encourage learning and career and personal development skills.

PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $10.5 million in 2017, supporting hundreds of community organizations across 29 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 multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com.