STEM Coding Lab Awarded $250K grant from Richard King Mellon Foundation

PITTSBURGH, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- STEM Coding Lab has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to expand its work in providing computer science (CS) education to under-resourced youth throughout the Pittsburgh region. The funding will play a key role in STEM Coding Lab's effort to bring K-8 CS learning to Title I classrooms across the region – by way of both in-person instruction, as well as video-based curriculum that can be deployed to any classroom in America. The Richard King Mellon Foundation's support will also assist the organization in its development of partnerships with local universities and tech companies, and help recruit, train, and manage its growing group of local volunteers.

"We are honored to receive the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation to further our mission of improving digital literacy skills for our children. This grant will allow us to continue our growth and serve more K-8 children in our community." Said Viv Penninti, Founder and Chairman of STEM Coding Lab.

Casey Mindlin, Executive Director of STEM Coding Lab adds: "We are deeply grateful for the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. In the past year, STEM Coding Lab experienced rapid growth that proved the widespread demand in the region for our organization's services. STEM Coding Lab currently serves 1,300 students annually, and with this grant, we expect to broaden program offerings to support Pittsburgh neighborhoods including Homewood, the Hill District, Braddock, and the West End."

"Computer-science learning for children from lower-income households is an important tool in our overarching Economic Mobility program," said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. "Our Economic Mobility program seeks to ensure that all children in our region have access to prosperity – and digital literacy is key to that work."

About STEM Coding Lab
STEM Coding Lab is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016, with the mission of improving digital literacy skills among the less fortunate K-8 children in our community. STEM Coding Lab currently provides after-school classes in basic programming constructs, Scratch programming, web design, and other introductory courses using both online and in-person delivery formats. STEM Coding Lab currently reaches 1300+ children at nearly 20 different organizations, including several Pittsburgh Public Schools. For more information please visit our website www.stemcodinglab.org, or email [email protected].

About the Richard King Mellon Foundation:
Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation's 2021 year-end net assets were $3.4 billion, and its Trustees in 2021 disbursed $152 million in grants and Program-Related Investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.

Contact: Casey Mindlin, STEM Coding Lab, 412-426-3523; [email protected] 

SOURCE STEM Coding Lab

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