PPG donates $4,000 to Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County

"Arial">"We are very pleased to receive support from PPG to help fund this position and grow the number of schools we serve," said Donna Black, executive director, Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County. "The needs of the students at Charles England Intermediate School are tremendous; with the support of PPG, we are able to provide more intensive and extensive services to students in need.”

Todd Douthit, PPG plant manager at the Lexington fiber glass manufacturing facility, greets Christina Howell, Volunteer and Resource Development Coordinator for Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County, at the PPG plant. The PPG Industries Foundation donated $4,000 to help fund a part-time Communities In Schools site coordinator position at Charles England Intermediate School in the Lexington City Schools. This helped the program grow from serving 15 Lexington City and Davidson County schools in the 2007-2008 school year to serving 19 schools in this school year.

Communities In Schools provides students who are at risk of not obtaining a high school diploma or not achieving their potential with local mentors who offer encouragement and friendship. CIS also connects students with community resources to creatively and effectively meet their needs. Black said some PPG employees serve as mentors in both the Lexington City and Davidson County Schools systems.

“PPG is strongly committed to supporting the communities where its employees work and live,” said Todd Douthit, plant manager at PPG’s fiber glass manufacturing facility in Lexington. “We are proud to support Communities In Schools in its efforts to empower students to believe in themselves and their future.”

Established in 1951, the PPG Industries Foundation demonstrates the values of PPG Industries by enhancing the quality of life in communities where the company has a presence. Interests of the foundation, in order of priority, are education, human services, culture and arts, and civic and community affairs. PPG also supports charitable causes by encouraging employee volunteerism and executives’ involvement with nonprofit organizations.

About Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County

Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County is a broad-based, grass-roots program that provides much-needed individual support for public school students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Founded in 1997, when it served two schools in the Lexington City School system, CIS now hosts programs in 19 schools of the Lexington City and Davidson County school systems. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, 383 CIS-enrolled students were being served by 298 mentors at 15 schools in the two school systems, and CIS had provided community resource connections to 5,463 other students.

About PPG

Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.