PPG Gives Gobs Of Grants To Schools, Non-Profits

Years ago I was in San Francisco on a business trip and I walked out of a little mom-and-pop restaurant to be greeted by a homeless man who asked me this question: What's the best nation in the world? I hesitated, sensing there was a punch line right around the corner. Indeed, there was. He told me: Donation.

I couldn't argue with him – so I gave him a few bucks and was on my way. While my homeless friend probably didn't invest the money I gave him in real estate, he did make me laugh and in my mind's eye, he deserved the few bucks I could easily spare. I've always been an open wallet for causes and a champion of good deeds.

With that in mind, I was pleased to read that Employees at PPG Industries’ Natrium, W.Va., and Lake Charles, La., chemicals manufacturing complexes helped to obtain $105,612 in grants through the PPG Industries Foundation.The grants will go to public schools and local nonprofit organizations where employees either have an interest (probably a student enrolled in the school) or where the employees volunteered in 2010. The grants were obtained through the Grant Incentives for Volunteerism by PPG Employees and Retirees (GIVE) and the Public Education Leadership Community (PELC) grant employee programs of the foundation.Recipient organizations include local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troops, school groups, community athletics associations, 4-H clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and firefighters’ organizations.

“PPG is strongly committed to supporting the communities where its employees work and live,” says Michael McGarry, PPG senior vice president, Commodity Chemicals. “We are proud that our employees actively support local schools and assist area nonprofit organizations, along with participating in the PPG Industries Foundation’s employee programs to help provide financial support where they have an interest. It’s a great opportunity for PPG to give back to its communities in ways that are personally significant to employees.”

Have you participated in a program that helps the local community? Let me know – I love spreading the good word.

Traci Purdum
Senior Digital Editor

PHOTO CAPTION: PPG Natrium employees from left: Pam Weekley, repairman; Dee Baxter, personnel coordinator; Mark Marshall, electrician; Karen Sapp, secretary to works manager; Dave Dietrich, production manufacturing supervisor; and Pam Bennett, secretary, engineering/environmental.

PHOTO CAPTION: (bottom photo): PPG Industries’ Lake Charles, La., employees from left: Rusty Burt, PHH operations supervisor; David Ardoin, PHH lead operator; Gerred Hooper, silica maintenance supervisor; Cheri Ardoin, silica production supervisor; and John Floyd, shift safety security supervisor.