PPG Global Leaders Transform Boys & Girls Club in Florida with COLORFUL COMMUNITIES Project

PPG announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project in collaboration with Heart of America to revitalize the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The project brought together more than 100 of PPG’s top global leaders, who spent a portion of their annual global leadership meeting repainting the club’s learning center, teen lounge area, art room and auditorium.

PPG provided more than 120 gallons of PPG PURE PERFORMANCE paint for the project, while the PPG Foundation also provided a grant to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational activities.

The Florence De George Boys & Girls Club offers after-school and summer programs to more than 220 students from kindergarten through eighth grade and provides a range of programs in areas such as character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, and technology.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County is grateful for the generous support from PPG and Heart of America,” said Erin Nicoloso, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. “The Florence De George Club was able to get a fresh new look because of the generosity of this corporate partnership. Thanks to the volunteers, the generous PPG product donations and additional funds provided by the PPG Foundation, the Florence De George Club will look and feel brand new for our club members.”

The employee volunteers beautified the club with colors including Swirling Smoke (PPG1007-2) and Puturple (PPG1248-5), selected by PPG experts to enhance learning and engagement. Volunteers also completed an uplifting mural in the auditorium, designed to inspire students to “dream big and work hard,” and a STEM-themed mural in the teen space.

“The goal was to create inspiring spaces so every young person that enters the doors of the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club feels motivated to grow and succeed,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “Color plays a powerful role by creating spaces where students feel comfortable and encouraged to learn. Our leaders put the power of volunteerism and PPG’s color and paint expertise to work, aiming to inspire the next generation of leaders.”

For this project, PPG teamed up with Heart of America, an education equity nonprofit organization that transforms learning spaces, bridges the resource gap, and strengthens communities to give all students room to learn, discover and thrive. The X-Bots Robotics organization also joined the PPG leaders to build and donate several specially designed physical therapy cars for toddlers with cerebral disorders affecting their body mobility.

“At Heart of America, we believe every student deserves an inspiring space to learn and thrive. And behind that belief is a deep commitment to collaboration with our partners to bring this dream into reality,” said Jill Heath, president and CEO of Heart of America. “With the people power of more than one hundred volunteers, this project brings the global community together to celebrate and support the powerful work this Club and its young learners are doing every day.”