At the Florence De George Boys and Girls Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, 220 students have a new canvas for creativity and learning, thanks to a colorful facility makeover completed by PPG’s global leaders and local employee volunteers.
Global leaders inspire students to ‘dream big’ at COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project
One of the first COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® projects of 2023 kicked off in a “big” way, inspiring the Club’s students with large murals featuring messages to “dream big, work hard” and “inspire each other.”
More than 100 PPG leaders spent a portion of their annual global leadership meeting transforming the Club with colors specifically selected by PPG color experts to enhance learning and engagement.
In the teen lounge and learning center, colors like Chinese Lantern and Mariposa brought to life a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM)-theme mural. Meanwhile, learning centers for younger students now feature colors such as Puturple and Wet Coral, selected based on the students’ ages and learning objectives for each space. The volunteers also beautified and painted the Club’s art room and auditorium, where a stage for performances is located.
“The goal of the project was to create inspiring, equipped spaces so that every young person that enters the doors of the Florence De George Boys and Girls Club has an opportunity to grow and succeed,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “Color plays a powerful role to enhance learning and create spaces where students feel comfortable and encouraged. Our leaders put the power of volunteerism and PPG’s color and paint expertise to work, aiming to inspire the next generation of leaders with refreshed spaces and inviting colors.”
The Club offers after-school and summer programs to students in 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; technology and more.
The PPG Foundation also provided a grant to the Florence De George Boys and Girls Club to support educational science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities.
“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.”
For the 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.”
Learn more about how the Colorful Communities program revitalizes communities around the world HERE.