PNC Foundation Invests in The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Fund

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pittsburgh Promise today announced that it has received a grant from the PNC Foundation in the amount of $500,000 over a five-year period to support The Promise's scholarship fund. 

The grant from the PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, is an acknowledgement of the strategic importance of this workplace and economic development effort to provide support to urban high school students so that they can pursue a post-secondary education and graduate from college or a technical school and become a part of the region's workforce.  This grant, coupled with their earlier grant of $400,000 brings PNC's total investment in The Promise to $900,000.

"On behalf of the 3,000 students who are now receiving scholarship support from The Pittsburgh Promise, I am so thankful to the PNC Foundation for its commitment to education and for investing in our region's workforce development," said Saleem Ghubril, executive director of The Pittsburgh Promise.

The grant from the PNC Foundation complements its support for early childhood education through PNC Grow Up Great, which was recently extended by $250 million over 10 years. Research shows that at-risk children who enter kindergarten ready to learn are more likely to go to college than students with similar backgrounds but without a quality preschool experience.

"A goal of the PNC Foundation is to help children succeed in school and life," said Eva Blum, chairwoman and president of the PNC Foundation. "The Pittsburgh Promise delivers on that objective by assisting qualified high school graduates to further their education."

About The Pittsburgh Promise

The Pittsburgh Promise, a scholarship program for Pittsburgh Public School students, advocates for improving the quality of education and increasing the preparedness and diversity of the region's workforce.  Pittsburgh has the largest Promise program in the United States.  For more information about The Pittsburgh Promise, visit www.pittsburghpromise.org

SOURCE The Pittsburgh Promise