Jan 22, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

PPG Completes COLORFUL COMMUNITIES Project at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami

PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES™ project in collaboration with HandsOn Miami that helped revitalize Booker T. Washington High School. The school serves more than 950 students in ninth through 12th grade, with approximately 90 percent of attending students receiving free or reduced lunches and some experiencing homelessness.

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 Miami, where PPG has 20 PPG PAINTS™ stores.

The project brought together more than 100 PPG global leaders, who spent a combined 250 hours revitalizing the school’s cafeteria, band room and hallways. PPG provided more than 60 gallons of PPG Paints products to assist with the project, while the PPG Foundation granted $10,000 to the school to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational initiatives.

Originally opened in 1926, the Booker T. Washington High School is the second oldest public high school built for African American residents in Miami. Although surrounded by poverty and a lack of resources, the 70 faculty members operate the school as a tight-knit unit, providing student-centered and culturally responsive classrooms where students can succeed.

Nearly a decade ago, the school’s graduation rate was less than 50 percent. Now, more than 85 percent of students are graduating, and an increasing number are pursing further education.

“We are very thankful for the generosity of PPG and the PPG Foundation as they support our efforts to bring this beautiful and historic campus back to life for those who cherish it most,” said Dale Hirsch, CEO, HandsOn Miami. “It is truly gratifying to be able to come together and make a positive change for the young people in this community.”

The PPG volunteers painted areas of the facility in the school’s long-standing colors of orange, black and white to provide inspirational learning environments that will be beneficial to the success of current and future students for years to come. The project also included three bright, music-themed murals in the school’s once monochromatic band room. The school’s band program is a centerpiece of the extracurricular activities offered at the school and provides students with the opportunity to compete in local and statewide competitions.

“At PPG, we know that paint is more than just the color on the wall. It can breathe new life and purpose into a school, create memories and spark emotion,” said Malesia Dunn, PPG executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “The positive impact that our paint and employee volunteers can have on learning environments through the Colorful Communities program motivated us to make a tangible difference at Booker T. Washington High School.”

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 200 Colorful Communities projects, impacting nearly 5.2 million people in 29 countries.

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.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.4 billion in 2018. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world, Colorful Communities and PPG Paints are trademarks and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.