PPG announced that its New Paint for a New Start initiative, part of the company’s COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® program, will complete more than 25 colorful and transformative school and educational space makeovers worldwide by the end of August 2024.

In the third year of New Paint for a New Start, PPG employees will build on the positive impact that new colors and improved learning environments have on students and teachers by volunteering their time, partnering with PPG customers and activating elements of environmental sustainability. Using PPG paint products and color expertise, each project aims to create engaging spaces for students to learn and grow.

“The impacts of a quality education hold significant value and can change the trajectory of a student’s life. Our employee volunteers recognize this as they step into schools and educational spaces to paint classrooms and brighten places where students can thrive,” said Malesia Dunn, Executive Director, PPG Foundation and Corporate Global Social Responsibility. “Each New Paint for a New Start project aims to create joyful spaces where students feel supported and enable possibilities and progress in the lives of young people.”

Most of the transformation projects will use a global color palette, including PPG’s 2024 Color of the Year, Limitless. PPG experts selected colors that pair well with various learning objectives and work to elevate and enhance the physical classroom environments.

“Color is a powerful communicator and can play a meaningful role in engaging students and connecting with learning objectives within a classroom,” said Steve Pocock, PPG Vice President EMEA West and Central, Architectural Coatings, and 2024 New Paint for a New Start executive champion. “From Milan, Italy to Zhangjiagang, China and many places in between, PPG volunteers are expanding the transformative impacts of beautifying schools worldwide. In 2024, we’re excited to be joined by several PPG customers to deepen the reach of the initiative.”

In addition to painting spaces, PPG and the PPG Foundation are also supplying several New Paint for a New Start schools with funding for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education supplies.

In 2022 and 2023, more than 60 schools and educational spaces were transformed as part of New Paint for a New Start, improving classrooms and learning spaces for more than 35,000 students and educators. Learn more here.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $17.5 million in 2023, supporting hundreds of organizations across nearly 40 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled workforce 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 here.