PNC’s efforts to improve school readiness are getting national recognition...

• Excellence in Corporate Philanthropy Award, Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy
• Sesame Workshop, Corporate Honoree Award
• National Summit on America’s Children, Corporate Presenter – PNC Chairman & CEO Jim Rohr

• National Corporate Friends of Children Award, Child Welfare League of America
• Corporate Stewardship Award, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

• Woodrow Wilson Award
• Gift of Reading Award. Reading is Fundamental
• Great Friend to Kids Award, Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia
• Fast Track Volunteerism Award, Points of Light Foundation

PNC Grow Up Great is an unprecedented 10-year, $100 million investment in school readiness to help prepare children from birth to age five for success in school and life. We provide leadership, advocacy, resources and volunteers to assist parents, caregivers and communities in their efforts to increase the potential for young children to succeed.

PNC has invested several million dollars in grants and thousands of volunteer hours to Head Start centers, non-profit organizations and institutions of higher learning to enhance the quality of early care and education for disadvantaged children.

Since the program’s inception, we have developed volunteer activities to help build morale, pride and team spirit among our employees. Their experiences with children, parents, staff and others can provide tremendous personal growth and satisfaction. Our leadership is resulting in positive results. Examples include:

• The Summit on America’s Children, hosted by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, featured PNC Chairman and CEO James E. Rohr as the lone corporate presenter. He discussed the importance of early education for our nation’s children, society and economy.
  
  
• Science proficiency at the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center in Pittsburgh increased 19 percent in one year.
  
  
• Early math skills at the YMCA of North Philadelphia Head Start Program increased 14 percent in less than a year, and teachers also boosted their math proficiency and confidence.

For a more comprehensive look at this unprecedented
corporate initiative, click here.

The first-ever PNC Study of Early Childhood Education found consensus among the general public, business executives and Congress that equal access to quality early education is critically important. Among the findings:

• Most U.S. business leaders feel children are ill-prepared to learn when they start kindergarten.
  
  
• Some also expressed concerns about the quality of the new generation entering the workforce.
  
  
• The study also found teachers value social skills – such as following rules and directions, and being able to play and share well with others – over academic skills as a better predictor of children’s success in school.

To view the results of these surveys, click here.

For information on how to apply for a 2008-2009
Head Start Demonstration Project grant, click here.

Media Contact: Joe Balaban 412-768-5095