Our global giving totaled more than $10.5 million in 2017, supporting hundreds of community organizations across 29 countries. To ensure this investment had the greatest impact, we focused our resources on the areas that we are best positioned to support — education, community sustainability and employee engagement.
Bringing color and vitality to communities
A facility in the Netherlands that trains guide dogs for those who can benefit from canine assistance is a brighter, cheerier space for both two- and four-legged visitors. Three-dimensional notes from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons concertos help visually impaired children in Wuhu, China, experience the change of seasons through touching the melody. A revitalized fire station in San Juan del Rió, Mexico, provides a more colorful space for those who risk their lives for the good of the community.
These are just a few examples of how we brought color and vitality to more than 65 schools, playgrounds and other shared community spaces in 2017 through the COLORFUL COMMUNITIES™ program. The program provides PPG volunteers, paints, coatings, specialty materials and financial contributions to brighten communities where we operate around the world.
In 2017, we reached an important milestone of completing 125 projects around the world since the launch of the Colorful Communities program in 2015. We donated more than 13,000 gallons (49,000 liters) of our paint and coatings and provided $3.1 million in funding for these projects. Additionally, nearly 6,000 PPG and community volunteers have donated in excess of 34,000 volunteer hours to help brighten communities by painting, repairing, cleaning and helping in other ways. The program has positively impacted more than 4 million people in 23 countries.