Valero’s connection to a San Antonio children’s shelter has grown even stronger with a recent $1 million pledge of support for a new emergency shelter for teens.
The Valero Energy Foundation – the charitable arm of Valero Energy Corporation – in May announced a new partnership with St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home (St. PJ’s) to continue the fight against child abuse and neglect. St. PJ’s was founded in 1891 as an orphanage and now exists as a nonprofit agency licensed by the state of Texas.
Valero’s $1 million pledge will allow the shelter to construct a state-of-the-art emergency dorm for children ages 12 to 17 – often the most difficult age to place in foster care or other support homes. The Valero Emergency Shelter at St. PJ’s, as it will be known, will allow older abused or neglected children to stay close to their younger siblings and help St. PJ’s continue its long-standing legacy of helping children in need.
“Valero is committed to our community and especially to our children,” Valero Community Relations Manager Sylvia Rodriguez said. “We are so pleased to partner with St. PJ’s to make a major impact on the lives of so many.”
As the rate of child abuse continues to rise nationwide, so does the need for emergency shelters to provide for children removed from abusive environments. For more than 100 years, St. PJ’s Children’s Home has answered that call. And with the help of the Valero Energy Foundation, St. PJ’s will begin construction of the $3.2 million emergency shelter in the fall. The 32-bed facility will accommodate 16 boys and 16 girls in one-story units, with clear site lines to ensure proper supervision.
“These are children who unfortunately are extremely difficult to place into foster care, kinship care and are in desperate need of a safe place to stay,” St. PJ’s Executive Director B.J. Mamuzic said. “With the leadership of the Valero Energy Foundation, we will be able to provide a much-needed place of healing and nurturing.”
In addition to financial support from Valero, St PJ’s is a frequent recipient of aid from Valero’s many caring employee volunteers. Through annual Valero-sponsored volunteer events, the children of St. PJ’s are able to enjoy Christmas parties, summer fun days and special mentorships every year that help build bridges for these vulnerable children.
“We have been privileged by the continued support and leadership of Valero over the years, and together, we enthusiastically look forward to making profound differences in the lives of our community’s children for many years to come,” St. PJ’s Director of Development Brian Chavez said. “It is such an honor that Valero has stepped up to help us. They are certainly the benchmark in giving, they truly believe in supporting children.”