EPWU employees raise more than $20K for AVANCE

Check presentation made to AVANCE at the December 14, 2011 Public Service Board meeting (left to right) Mayor John Cook, Painted Dunes General Manager Anthony Below, EPWU Chief Information Officer Armando Renteria and AVANCE Executive Director Taylor Moreno.

Employees of El Paso Water Utilities raised $20,697 this year, as part of a fundraising campaign benefitting AVANCE-El Paso.

AVANCE-El Paso seeks to prepare children for school by equipping their young parents; it began in 1997 as a chapter of AVANCE, Inc. a private, non-profit organization founded in San Antonio in 1973. Among other programs, AVANCE-El Paso offers literacy, GED and parenting help to low-income families.

"These programs are modeled to prepare young children to be successful, by educating their parents to become their children's first and primary teacher. By doing so they are able to improve literacy rates among young families," said Armando Renteria, El Paso Water Utilities Chief Information Officer and chair of the fundraising campaign.

Utility employees raised $15,951.68 through fundraising activities including a tennis tournament, karaoke competition, motorcycle run, 4-on-4 basketball game, and a menudo sale. A golf tournament, held at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course, raised $4,745.40. All fundraising activities were held outside of regular working hours.

A check was presented to AVANCE-El Paso at the Dec. 14 meeting of the Public Service Board.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the board, and all the event organizers and participants for all their help in making this year's events a success," Renteria said.

AVANCE-El Paso serves more than 3,000 parents and children. The nine-month adult literacy program includes a 27-lesson curriculum and monthly home visits to ensure progress and school readiness among children.

Since 2009, the Public Service Board has selected one local, non-profit organization each year to be the focus of employee fundraising efforts.