The PNC Foundation Is awarding more than $57,000 in grants to seven local organizations to support early education.

The grants, made under PNC’s “Grow Up Great” initiative, are designed to prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.

The grants target specific needs of early learners by providing community-based educational experiences for families with young children or professional learning and skill-development for current and future early childhood educators.

The organizations that have been awarded grants are below:

Akron Children’s Hospital – A $7,000 grant in support of “Reach Out and Read,” utilizing pediatricians and nurses to discuss and encourage reading with their patients and families, distributing a free book to all children during their regular pediatric checkups.

Alta Care Group – A $7,500 grant supporting the Head Start program to provide Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants to each of its preschool classrooms.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Christian Academy – A $3,000 grant in support of Holy Trinity’s “Hands On STEM” curriculum.

Millcreek Children’s Center – A $4,000 grant in support of MCC’s “Exploring Math,” through a field trips program.

Oh Wow! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology – An $8,811 grant, providing funding to support the “United Way Success by 6” program through science engagement.

United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley – PNC Foundation grants totaling $45,000, including a $25,000 grant in support of the “Success by 6” initiative that provides a pre-kindergarten summer readiness camp to hundreds of students throughout the Mahoning Valley.

YWCA Mahoning Valley – A $2,500 grant in support of the YWCA’s early education program.

Since 2004, PNC Grow Up Great has been helping children beyond the classroom by supporting learning and social-emotional development at home and across communities through free resources and tools provided to parents, guardians, caregivers and neighborhood organizations.