The People & Partners Behind Our Work

Our work is guided by some of the nation's most highly respected early childhood experts and nonprofit organizations

Corporate Leadership

With support from PNC’s executive management, PNC Grow Up Great® is directed by Sally McCrady, director of Community Affairs and Chair and President, PNC Foundation.

A cross-functional team of PNC employees from different areas of the company work together with early childhood experts to bring Grow Up Great to life.

Dedicated Employees

Employee volunteerism is integral to our program's success.

Our progressive employee policy offers:

40

Hours of Paid Time Off

Per full-time employee, each year, to engage in volunteerism

On April 4, 2017, we introduced our first company-wide "Great Day" event across all of our corporate offices and retail branches. Hands-on volunteer opportunities were offered for PNC employees – from writing teacher 'Thank You' cards, to handmade backpacks and building tricycles – all easy to accomplish within a normal workday. The first annual event was a success with over 12,800 employees participating, 32,000 volunteer hours recorded and a company-wide book drive with nearly 50,000 books donated.

Momentum continued to build for Great Day 2018 with even more volunteers getting involved. In 2019, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of Grow Up Great with “Great Month”. More than 14,000 volunteers dedicated 39,000 hours to various volunteer opportunities. Additionally, PNC customers were invited to join the Great Big Book Drive, resulting in 114,000 books donated locally.

Great Partners

Our Nonprofit Alliances

To create quality resources, we work closely with some of the nation’s most highly respected early childhood experts and nonprofit organizations, including:

 

Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, helping kids grow up smarter, stronger and kinder!
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National Head Start Association
National Head Start Association is a nonprofit organization that advocates and provides resources to ensure that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life.
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Fred Rogers Productions
Fred Rogers Productions, producer of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, creates a wide range of multimedia materials dedicated to young children, their families and those who support them.
Learn More

Our Advisory Council

We've assembled an Advisory Council of leaders in the early childhood education field that provide ongoing strategic direction and guidance for the Grow Up Great program.

The Council is constantly ensuring we're a leader in advocating for early childhood education, identifying opportunities for strategic partnerships, tracking our progress and ensuring that all of our efforts reach, resonate and benefit young children in their early development phases.

 

Meet Our Advisory Council Members


Barbara A. Wasik, Ph.D.
PNC Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education, Temple University

Maureen Barber-Carey, Ed.D.
Maureen Barber-Carey, Ed.D.
Barber National Institute


W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D.
National Institute for Early Education Research

Barbara Bowman, M.A.
Barbara Bowman, M.A.
Erikson Institute

Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D.
Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D.
Early Childhood Consultant

Marcia Egbert
Marcia Egbert
The George Gund Foundation

 


Deforia Lane, Ph.D.
Deforia Lane, Ph.D.
Early Childhood Consultant

 Wendy Lewis Jackson
The Kresge Foundation

 

Michael L. López, Ph.D.
Michael L. López, Ph.D.
NORC at the University of Chicago

 


Michèle M. Mazzocco, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota

Sharon Darling
Felicia Cumings Smith, Ed.D.
National Center for Families Learning

Robert DeHaas, Ed.D.
Robert DeHaas, Ed.D.
Dallas College

Kathy Glazer
Kathy Glazer
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

Ex-Officio Advisory Council Members


Jeanette Betancourt, Ed.D.
Sesame Workshop


Paul Siefken
Fred Rogers Productions

Yasmina S. Vinci
Yasmina S. Vinci
National Head Start Association