CITGO and Women’s Shelter of South Texas Support Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victims

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, June 15, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. To raise funds to provide services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in the Coastal Bend, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is partnering with the Women’s Shelter of South Texas to support the shelter’s 2016 Great Expectations Speaker Series Luncheon. This year’s fundraiser will feature actress and activist Kathy Najimy. 

The Women’s Shelter of South Texas provides free, comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault across 20 counties. In 2014, the facility provided emergency shelter, clinical and counseling services, legal services and other resources to more than 2,600 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. 

“Domestic violence victims deserve both safety and empowerment to overcome the abuse they have experienced. Over the past five years, our Great Expectations Speaker Series has helped us raise awareness for victims of domestic violence, as well as their families,” said Frances Wilson, president and CEO of the Women’s Shelter of South Texas. “We have nearly 40 years of experience helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and with strong partners like CITGO, we can continue providing assistance and care.”

The CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery has supported the Women’s Shelter of South Texas for six years. In addition to sponsoring the speaker series, CITGO employees have collected donations and supplies for the residents of the shelter, including diapers, baby wipes, formula, clothing, books and toys. 

“The Women’s Shelter of South Texas is so much more than a refuge for the people it serves: It’s a safe haven where victims can access free resources in times of crisis,” said CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery Vice President and General Manager Art Klein. “We share the shelter’s commitment to prevent and ultimately end domestic violence and sexual assault in South Texas, and we hope that together, we can get one step closer to this goal.”

For more than 80 years, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery has been committed to improving the lives of local residents. Over the past three years, the refinery has contributed nearly $3 million to local community organizations, including ones that provide the area with vital health and safety services. In addition to its support of the Women’s Shelter of South Texas, CITGO partners with organizations including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Charlie’s Place, Camp Aranzazu, the American Heart Association and the Corpus Christi NAACP Citywide Health Fair to strengthen the Corpus Christi community. 

About CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery
The CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, which celebrated 80 years of operations in 2015, provides more than 1,000 jobs locally, while generating more than $345 million per year in support of the local economy through salaries, services and taxes. In addition to producing high-quality fuels for its network of nearly 5,500 independently owned and operated CITGO branded stations across the country, Corpus Christi refinery employees make a major positive impact on the community. In 2015 alone, CITGO employees in Corpus Christi volunteered more than 2,900 hours of their personal time to local and national charities. Since 2013, the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery and its employees have provided more than 10,000 volunteer hours and approximately $3.3 in support of community organizations such as United Way, Charlie’s Place, Muscular Dystrophy Association, The Miracle League, Catholic Charities, the Special Olympics and a variety of environmental and preservation initiatives, such as the revitalization of the Gateway to Corpus Christi, Hans and Pat Suter Park and Adopt-A-Beach Clean Up. The 80th anniversary of the Corpus Christi Refinery last year was preceded by the 70th anniversary of the CITGO Lake Charles Refinery in 2014 and is being followed by the 90th anniversary of the CITGO Lemont Refinery in 2016, with CITGO facilities marking three significant milestones in three consecutive years. For more information on the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery, visit www.citgorefining.com/corpus-christi.

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.