YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, June 21, 2016 – Young children from YWCA of Youngstown’s preschool will explore science exhibits today at Oh WOW! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children Center for Science and Technology. The outing was funded by the PNC Foundation, which made grants totaling $55,000 to nine organizations in the Mahoning Valley to support early childhood education. Hundreds of local pre-k children will benefit from the awards which will fund youth programs in science, technology and arts education, field trips, summer preschool and home services to children and their families.
The grant to YWCA funds science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) programs and includes additional field trips to OH Wow! For local pre-k children unable to visit the Center, PNC’s funding will support expansion of its Wow! on Wheels, program, which develops STEM related materials and curricula that are packaged into a kit and delivered to preschools.
United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley received funds for a pre-kindergarten summer program serving over 600 students in 15 schools districts within the Mahoning Valley. "More children will enter kindergarten ready to learn with the investments PNC has made in their futures," said Bob Hannon, president of United Way.
PNC made the grants in support of Grow Up Great, its signature, $350 million early childhood education initiative that began in 2004. PNC encourages employee involvement through a progressive policy that permits up to 40 hours a year of paid time off for volunteerism.
“We recognize the role kindergarten readiness plays in the wellbeing of children, their families and ultimately, our economy,” said Ted Schmidt, PNC regional president for Youngstown and Eastern Ohio. “By preparing our youngest students for educational success, we help build a solid foundation for the future of this region.”
PNC announced additional grants to:
- D & E Counseling Center – to support its Preschool UPSTREAM program, which provides intensive in home services to preschool children and their families within the Youngstown City School district.
- Trumbull County Community Action Program – to expand its Head Start STEM program, specifically including 3 year old children in the program.
- Easter Seal Society of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties – to support its summer preschool program.
- Millcreek Children’s Center – to support a series of field trips strategically focused on age appropriate earth and life science topics.
- Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley – to support the Reach out and Read Program, which provides books and awareness activities for preschool age children.
- Columbiana County Community Action Program (Head Start) – to support the Project Resource Bag program, a parent engagement kits that provides books and other materials for parents to complete with the preschoolers.
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, please visit www.pncgrowupgreat.com.
CONTACT:
Joe Balaban
(412) 445-4024
joseph.balaban@pnc.com
