PPG announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project to revitalize the Flint Development Center (FDC) in collaboration with customer Niles Industrial Coatings and the Painters and Allied Trades District Council 1M labor union. 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 the South Eastern Michigan area, where PPG operates an automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) application development center, administrative office and technical center.

At FDC, residents of Michigan’s Flint and Genesee counties can safely engage in recreational, social, educational, cultural, community service, civic and governmental activities. Located in the former Bunche Elementary School, the center serves more than 250 children and 1,500 adults annually.

The project brought together more than 80 volunteers who used more than 95 gallons of PPG PAINTS products. The PPG Foundation provided an additional $5,000 to FDC to support work readiness and professional development programs offered at the facility.

“We are very grateful for the support from PPG and the PPG Foundation in helping us to create a place for citizens to safely interact while practicing the principles of community,” said Shelly Sparks, executive director, Flint Development Center. “To see that people do care about the citizens of Flint is a beautiful thing. Words will never truly express our appreciation.”

Volunteers cleaned, pressure washed and painted the building’s front exterior and also painted interior hallways using a custom PPG Paints color palette to create a bright and welcoming space.

“This is a special Colorful Communities project, as it is the first one to be completed in Michigan,” said Rebecca Liebert, PPG senior vice president, automotive coatings. “PPG is proud to give back to the community where we live and work through the beautification and revitalization of the Flint Development Center.”

The Colorful Communities program, PPG’s signature initiative for supporting communities, aims to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. Through the Colorful Communities program, PPG’s committed volunteers contribute their time and PPG paint products to help transform community assets – from painting classrooms to bringing color to a maternity ward and redesigning a playground. Since 2015, PPG has completed more than 170 Colorful Communities projects, impacting nearly 5 million people in 25 countries.