For many of our programs, the true impact happens behind the scenes. Much of what we accomplish for the classrooms we serve comes from steadfast volunteers breaking down barriers one school supply at a time.
No one embodies this more than PNC Grow Up Great.
Impact Over The Years
Since our partnership began over a decade ago, volunteers from across all departments at PNC have given their time and energy to make a difference in the lives of students throughout Southwestern PA.
Over the years, the total hours that volunteers have added up make a world of difference. Not only have we had over 2,000 volunteers who have donated over 25,000 hours to our cause, but we’ve also seen a major impact from PNC’s volunteer donation program! For every hour a PNC volunteer donates, PNC Grow Up Great matches it with a monetary contribution, making hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of change during our 12-year partnership.
Across countless visits, volunteers have taken on a variety of activities that have benefited our youngest learners. From helping teachers during shopping at our free Teacher Resource Center (TRC) to counting a truckload of pallets of donations, PNC volunteers bring a can-do attitude and positivity that is contagious.
Putting the Team in STEAM
One offering wouldn’t be possible without all the hard work of our volunteers: our STEAM Possible Packs! These grab-and-go kits give primary teachers everything they need to create an easy lesson plan in a pinch and are perfect for a substitute or unplanned downtime. With over 1,000 distributed STEAM Possible Packs last year alone, these packs have become one of our most popular offerings in the TRC.
They assemble ready-to-go kits by counting every piece of paper, string, or bead and ensuring each kit has everything needed to complete the project without teachers pulling from their own resources. This takes time, energy, precision, and a little bit of camaraderie.
When we asked teachers at the end of the 2026 school year what their favorite TRC item was, many talked about the STEAM Possible Packs that PNC helped build. We think Kristine Spitznagel from Bellevue Elementary School captured her experience in a special light:
“TEP provided [STEAM Possible Packs] that allowed us to bring science to life in creative ways. After studying the human body, students used maker materials like straws and string to design and build articulated hands. Watching them collaborate, problem-solve, revise their designs, and proudly test their moving fingers was incredible. The room was buzzing with excitement and critical thinking. Those materials turned a textbook lesson into a hands-on engineering experience my students will remember.
“[It] makes me feel like we’re not doing this work alone. There is a team behind us, investing in our classrooms and believing in our students. That kind of partnership makes an incredible difference — not just in supplies on a shelf, but in the confidence and capacity it gives us every day.”
Volunteer programs like PNC Grow Up Great ensure our programs can grow to meet teachers’ needs.
Difference that Goes Beyond A Pencil
On a personal level, we have gotten to know many of them over the years, celebrating their happiest moments and bringing light and joy into the lives of all of us here. We couldn’t be more grateful for the dedication and passion our PNC volunteers show year after year.
