Press Release

PNC Bank Supports Tinkering for Tots Early Childhood Program at The Henry Ford with $210,000 Three-Year Sponsorship

(Dearborn, Michigan – April 9, 2018) The Henry Ford, PNC Bank, N.A. and PNC Foundation will offer year-round early childhood programming at the historic destination, it was announced today. Under a new three-year, $210,000 sponsorship, PNC Bank will help The Henry Ford provide STEAM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) programming for preschool visitors to the museum. PNC Bank will also provide more than 1,000 pre-K and Kindergarten students per year with complimentary field trips to The Henry Ford.

In addition to the $210,000 sponsorship by PNC Bank, the PNC Foundation has committed $108,000 to fund involvement in PNC Tinkering for Tots and field trips to The Henry Ford for 28 Detroit Public Schools preschool classes as part of PNC Grow Up Great®, a $350 million, multi-year, bilingual initiative in early childhood education, to help primarily underserved children succeed in school and life.

“Our founder, Henry Ford, believed in the power of real artifacts in an environment that provided hands-on learning,” said Patricia E. Mooradian, president and CEO of The Henry Ford. “With partners such as PNC Bank and PNC Foundation, we can continue Henry’s vision and offer vital STEM- and STEAM-based programs that can unlock creativity in young minds and unleash an enormous amount of potential to change the world.” 

Tinkering for Tots is a monthly hands-on program designed for preschoolers that incorporates science, technology, engineering, art and math. Each month is shaped by a different theme based on programming at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village. The program includes how-to guides for parents, caregivers and educators for continued engagement.

“Tinkering for Tots was created to encourage creativity and a thirst for learning in preschool children,” said Ric DeVore, PNC regional president for Detroit and Southeast Michigan.  “At PNC, we believe that empowering our youngest minds is the best investment a bank can make.”

PNC Bank will serve as naming partner and presenting sponsor for Tinkering for Tots. 
 
About PNC
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com. 

About the PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, please visit www.pncgrowupgreat.com.

About The Henry Ford
The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrow’s innovators. More than 1.77 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institution’s campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation, showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Ford’s artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy®-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.