Avance annual report revised 3 31

ParentChild B

Head Start

C

ad He y l Ear Start

A

COLLEGE

BOUND Computer Literacy

AHEAD Fatherhood

n ult Ad catio u d E

Healt Marriahy ge

2013 ANNUAL REPORT

unity Comm rces u o Res

A Message from Contents Executive Director's Message

02

Building a College-Bound Culture Campaign

03

2013 Highlights

04

2013 Events

06

AVANCE-Houston Programs

08

Students Served

10

Corporate Volunteers

11

Financial Outlook

12

AVANCE-Houston Donors

13

AVANCE-Houston Leadership Team

14

AVANCE-Houston Centers

15

2

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

the Executive Director, Board Chair and CEO

Building a

Dear Friends,

Culture Campaign

The Board of Directors takes great pride in serving as volunteer policy makers for AVANCE-Houston.

We celebrate another year of results born from collaborations, dedication and innovation. Early last year Houston Board members partnered with staff to create the initiative,“Building a CollegeBound Culture.” Staff, board members, and community volunteers came together to undertake this important charge---teaching pre-school parents to set high expectations for their children at an early age. Children learn from their parents, so we also teach parents. They too must seek better education and training opportunities and understand the financial resources necessary to educate their children.

AVANCE parents want the best for their children and are willing to make the necessary sacrifices.

College-Bound

In 2013, we saw that 70% of the parents who completed their GED enrolled in college or skills training. Children from the AVANCE preschool programs that partner with HISD scored the highest among their peers in Stanford Math test.

Children from the Parent-Child Education Program show 90% retention rate when they reach high school. Their parents increased their employment and home ownership rates and continued their education. Children who attend pre-school are more likely to graduate and attend college. In 2013, we documented that AVANCE can “build a college-bound culture.”

AVANCE-Houston created a task force of education experts whose insights and guidance helped launch a campaign to lead families to higher education.

Banners were installed in all AVANCE locations, and a pilot program was implemented in the Pasadena Early Head Start program. The plan is to expand the pilot program throughout all locations and reinforce a college-bound culture.

FUN FACT

20% AVANCE programs raised the Kindergarten reading scores in at-risk communities by 20%.

On behalf of the Board, we thank our funding partners, collaborators, corporate and individual donors, and a multitude of stakeholders. We will continue to strengthen families, bolster educational aspirations, and transform communities.

Rick J. Noriega

José Villarreal

Pete C. Garcia

President/CEO AVANCE, Inc.

Executive Director AVANCE-Houston, Inc.

Board Chair AVANCE-Houston, Inc. AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

3

2013 Highlights

AVANCE-Houston’s Adult Education Program Ranks

Top in the Nation Education program has earned ProLiteracy accreditation, and is now among only three Adult Education programs in the nation to receive this recognition.

The AVANCE program was thoroughly assessed for one year based on 16 standards of quality, and the outcome of the review demonstrated that our services meet the highest standards of governance, program management, and volunteer development.

It provides a recognizable stamp of quality for local literacy providers.

This accreditation assures students, volunteers, employees, funders, and the community at large that AVANCE implements high-quality services within a sound management framework.

ProLiteracy accreditation is the only nationally accredited system available in the adult education and literacy field.

Indo-American Charity Foundation Presents Check to AVANCE Another great reason to celebrate the new school year was a special visit from IACF Board Member, Surender Talwar, who brought a check to support AVANCE programs. Surender was greeted by staff and a mother and son who graduated from the Parent-Child program in 2005 and are now high achievers in school.

After learning how AVANCE impacted this family’s life, Surender explained why IACF supports the organization.

FUN FACT

70%

GED Graduates received career coaching and a $500 scholarships, resulting in 70% enrollment in college or skills training.

4

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

“

Know Safety, No Pain

I like AVANCE’s innovative approach because parents learn to take ownership for transforming the educational achievement of their children

“

AVANCE-Houston’s Adult

— and we are committed

to continue helping diverse populations in Houston.

José Villarreal Receives Community Service Award

In 2013, AVANCE launched this campaign to promote safety – and reduced accidents by 52% across the Houston chapter, thanks to a safety committee made up of representatives from all programs and various departments.

Their mission: “To promote and practice a safe work environment at AVANCE.” The committee’s inspection team proactively identifies hazards before they cause any injuries, while the investigation team follows up with accidents to identify root causes and take corrective actions.

AVANCE-Houston Executive Director was honored by Houston Community College for decades of dedication and commitment to empowering Houston families.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

5

2013 Events

Houston Texan Visit Nose tackle Earl Mitchell spent his 26th birthday with some loyal fans: parents, children and staff at AVANCE’s Mangum center, where he signed autographs.

6

o". g l u'l Dr. Seuss o y aces l p the h O " Week of the

Picturing America Showcase Children’s drawings reflecting their career goals – firefighters, mail carriers, cops, chefs, teachers – were showcased at art galleries during Week of the Young Child.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

AVANCE's 25th Anniversary A record-breaking $200,000 was raised during this year’s gala honoring San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and exemplary AVANCE graduates, The Contreras-Martínez Family.

300 Parents & Children Graduate On May 29th, 300 parents and children graduated from our nine-month Parent-Child Education program, and many are enrolling in other AVANCE programs.

Mentorship Kick Off For the third year, AVANCE GED students partnered with community experts who volunteered to help them obtain their GED, college degree, or certification.

Two Vehicles for Two Families Two deserving Head Start parents each received a vehicle donated by Progressive Insurance, Crossroad Collision and Unique Collision Centers.

Replacing Car Seats Children’s car seats were inspected and replaced, if necessary, with properly installed and age-appropriate seats at AVANCE’s Mangum and Hardy centers.

Young Child

This year’s theme focused on careers and protecting the environment, as preschoolers enjoyed outdoor water fun, danced, sang, and created arts and crafts.

Gold Assessment Tool AVANCE has a valuable new tool to assess children from the Parent-Child and Adult Education programs and measure their progress.

New Board Chairman AVANCE-Houston is pleased to welcome Pete Garcia – owner of Pete Garcia International – as our new Chair of the Board, on which he has served since 2009. He succeeds Martha Rost, who served in that position from 2010 and accomplished great things for AVANCE, including the development of a five-year strategic plan.

Deferred Action at Work Alma Ortiz and her children attended AVANCE’s Early Head Start program.

During that time, she volunteered helping teachers and eventually assuming the role of Policy Council President.

The experience and skills she obtained through her participation helped her meet the Deferred Action employment requirements and cleared the way for her to become an AVANCE teacher.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

7

AVANCE-Houston Programs

FUN FACT Parent-Child Program: Parents bolstered aspirations for children; resulting in a 90% High School retention rate.

90% 8

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

Adult Education

ESL (English as Second Language) AVANCE offers classes at basic and intermediate levels for adults who wish to improve their ability to speak, read, or write the English language.

The program includes educational, developmental, nutritional, and mental health services for children and supports educational services for parents.

A B C

Early Head Start

Early Head Start Early Head Start is a child development and family support program for children from zero to three years of age and pregnant women. Its mission is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes for pregnant women, enhance the development of their young children, and promote healthy family functioning.

TH

O E M

Healthy Marriage

To create a college-bound culture within our families, in 2011, AVANCE launched GED On the Move, a program that prepares our GED students to transition into viable post-secondary career options, including college credit enrollment, child development certificate training, and job skills training. Through this program, we also offer financial aid, C-PALS mentorship, a parent coaching academy, college field trips, online labs and tutoring, and AVANCE scholarship awards.

Computer Literacy

The focus of this initiative is to provide married couples, engaged couples, or singles access to marriage education services, so they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage for the well-being of the family. The program offers weekly interactive, educational, and fun workshops, with presentations in diverse topics designed to help couples enhance the quality of their marriage and home life.

Thanks to a grant received in 2011, the Healthy Marriage program now features a supplemental Community Empowerment program, which helps participants gain knowledge and have access to better career opportunities. Topics include professional development, career counseling, job etiquette, and job placement.

Computer Literacy Computer Literacy encompasses the basic understanding of computer hardware and software.

These classes empower parents to involve themselves in their children’s education and enhance their own capabilities in the workforce. Students learn Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, file management, e-mail, web browsing, and social media skills.

Fatherhood (offered in English and Spanish) Through a series of workshops, field trips, and activities, the Fatherhood program provides dads with tools for their individual advancement, helping them learn to enjoy the experience of being an active partner in raising their children. The program focuses on increasing the father’s role in the child’s education, nurturing and bonding with the child, loving and respecting the child's mother, coaching the child, and serving as a role model.

Healthy Marriage (offered in English and Spanish)

GED on the Move

GED

AVANCE Early Head Start offers a vast array of services, both home and Center based, including educational, nutritional, mental health and wellness, social, and prenatal support services.

All families wishing to enroll in Early Head Start must be income eligible by meeting the requirements of the federal poverty guidelines. They must also live within the zip codes that we service and have up-to-date immunizations, well-child and dental exams for the children who are applying.

Fatherhood

ABE/GED The Adult Basic Education program provides instruction in mathematics, reading, and writing. The GED academic program prepares students to succeed in obtaining their GED Certificate (High School Equivalency).

ON

The Parent-Child program is the primary gateway to AVANCE. Upon completion, parents are encouraged to transition to the other programs, including preparing themselves to pursue higher education.

AVANCE provides Adult Education programs involving a continuum of services to prepare students to access higher education.

To enroll in Head Start, families must be income eligible by meeting the requirements of the federal poverty guidelines.

They must also live within the zip codes that we service and have up-to-date immunizations, well-child and dental exams for the children who are applying.

Our Parent-Child Education program serves as a national model of early intervention, designed to affirm that the welfare of children, families, and community is mutually reinforcing.

The program is based on the premise that parents are their children’s first and most important teachers.

Through a variety of workshops and creative toy-making sessions, we train parents to help their children excel during their most critical years of learning.

Adult Education

Head Start is a comprehensive program for children three to five years of age, helping them to develop mentally, socially, emotionally, and physically and, ultimately, preparing them to enter kindergarten, school-ready.

VE

Parent-Child

Parents are the First Teachers, Home is the First Classroom

Head Start

Head Start

Community Resources

Community Resources

AVANCE offers additional support to our participants through community referrals with partnering agencies or payment of services for eligible families. This includes assistance with social services, health, nutrition, and intervention support.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

9

Corporate Volunteers Parent-Child 179

Adult Education 462 Early Childhood Education 10% 454 Early Head Start 454

5

11%

%

AVANCE Families Receive Free Finance Education

4%

4,390 Served

“

Our goal is to introduce children to financial responsibility at a young age and also work with adults and the communities in which we do business. For us, service means leveraging our expertise by teaching personal financial responsibility.

52%

Head Start 2,350

Healthy Marriage 18% 491

AVANCE partnered with BBVA Compass, Bank of America, Rice University, Wells Fargo, H&R Block, and Chase to provide numerous free Finance Education workshops to AVANCE participants throughout the months of October and November.

Bank of America

-Ryan McCauley, Relationships Manager for JP Morgan Chase.

Families enjoyed sessions in Budget Planning, Building Credit, Opening Bank Accounts, First Time Home Buying, and more. The Head Start children also had an enjoyable experience with fun interactive activities tailored to their age.

BBVA Compass

Wells Fargo

Chase

“

Students Served

H&R Block

ConocoPhillips Toy-Making Kit FUN FACTS

10

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

• With parent involvement and pre-school education, AVANCE children are school ready and college-bound.

• Among its peers, AVANCE pre-school children showed the highest scores in Stanford Math when they enter Kindergarten.

Twenty volunteers from the Women’s Network community-outreach program at ConocoPhillips worked numerous hours measuring, cutting, and preparing materials for the Parent-Child program.

Thanks to these volunteers, our parents now have enough kits to make toys for the rest of the program year. This group has performed this project for AVANCE for the past three years.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

11

Financial Outlook

FY 2013 and FY 2012

Amounts in thousands

2013

2012

ASSETS

FY 2013 and FY 2012

2013

2012

REVENUE AND OTHER SUPPORT 370,414

$

Bill Bootz

Houston Community College

Shawn Green

Cadence Bank

Houston Endowment

Smart Financial Credit Union

CenterPoint Energy

Houston Hispanic Forum

Spindletop Charities

Christine & Mark Laskin

Indo-American Charity Foundation

The Brown Foundation

117,319

United Way

241,905

227,778

Clinicas Mi Doctor

Jim Drew

The Clayton Fund

11,321

9,246

Fund-Raising

51,313

81,293

ConocoPhillips

José & Sylvia Villarreal

The Hamman Foundation

1,748,245

2,132,376

5,826,474

4,842,235

Dan Ranta

Littler Mendelson P.C.

United Methodist Church

David Raj

Longevity Realty Partners

United Way of Greater Houston

Donna & Igor Alexander

Luz E. Flores & Michael Baerga

Univision 45

Donna Wheeler

Macy's

Victor Quiñones

Dorothy Caram

Mango Punch

Vinson & Elkins, LLP

E & J Gallo Winery

Martha Rost

Wells Fargo

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

McConnell & Jones, LLP

Zions Management Services Company

Eva Moldovanyi

Optimal Sports Fundraising Group

2,501,691

50,010

$

3,075,049

In-Kind Total Revenues

$

28,736,206

$

28,517,288

$

331,001

428,644

Aldine ISD

3,651,756

3,719,306

-

3,431

General and Administrative (G&A)

2,363,762

1,940,050

In-Kind (G&A)

713,944

753,763

Fund Development

119,896

196,205

$

549,477

$

$

28,726,729

$

28,369,464

Change in Net Assets

$

9,477

$

147,824

2,500,572 25,000

2,120,680

2,525,572

Depreciation Expenses

3,075,049

Net Assets at Beginning of Year

$

21,760,140

Total Expenses

-

2,501,691

21,877,371

$

Program Services

2,120,680

Net Assets at End of Year

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

$

117,402

381,011

Temporary Restricted

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

Service King Collision Repair Centers

2,280

NET ASSETS

Total Net Assets

Ronald Oran

Houston Center for Literacy

Tanya Allen Easter

$

$

Harris County Hospital District Foundation

Bank of America

Houston Texans

Due to AVANCE, Inc.

Unrestricted

AVANCE-Inc.

Challenge Office Products

EXPENSES

$

Rob & Betsy McCeney

332,646

Accrued Expenses

Total Liabilities

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

237,965

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Accounts Payable

AT&T

Contributions

Other Receivables and Deposits

$

PWC

501,930

Prepaid Rents

23,033,336

Fiesta Mart

369,431

Grants Receivable

Total Assets

$

ABM

Grants

$

22,378,549

$40K toward programs in 2013.

314,178

$

Property and Equipment, Net

$

AVANCE staff for generously donating over

$

414,369

491,186

2,525,572

2,868,934

2,120,680

$

2,525,572

ExxonMobil

“

“

Cash

Special thanks to:

Donors

total revenue

Amounts in thousands

12

AVANCE-Houston

$28M

Port of Houston

AVANCE transformed our lives. Thank you to all donors, volunteers and staff for making these programs possible.

-The Barajas-Castillo Family

FUN FACT

70%

70% of Healthy Marriage participants seeking career advancement enrolled in training, improved their wages or found employment.

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

13

AVANCE-Houston Leadership

Board of Directors Officers

1

8

8 8

Tanya Allen Easter

Kate H. McConnico

Leslie Wilson

Sabrina Martínez

Vice Chair of Programs

Tamara Gabriel

Matt Neal

Sheila Briones

Pete García

Vice Chair of Development

Rudy R. Martínez, Jr.

Ron Oran, Jr.

Pamela Jarrett

Rob McCeney

Treasurer

Susana Martínez

Charlie Pryor

Zameer Upadhya

Dwayne L. Mason

Neale A. Shields

Dr. David Vasser

Ryan McCauley

Donna Wheeler

Surender Talwar

Dr. Carla Danbury Chief Operations Officer Luz Flores Sr. Director of Marketing and Administration

14

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

8

8

Parent-Child Program Locations

Pasadena, Texas 14 8

9

4 3

8

• 4301 Dacoma

8

8

8

1 10

6

• Thomas Jefferson Elementary

15 8

13

• Kruse Elementary

8 8

17

8

249

• Acres Homes

Spring, Texas

12

• Spring Shadows Elementary

5

• Southmayd Elementary

8

249

7

Executive Leaders

José Villarreal Executive Director AVANCE-Houston, Inc.

3 16

11

2

Richard J. Noriega President and CEO AVANCE, Inc.

5 7

8

Board Chair

Diego Adrian Gorena Secretary

9 17

Houston, Texas

Members

Locations 8

249

Martha Rost

17

AVANCE-Houston Centers

16

• Clemente Martínez Elementary

249

8

8 8

Antionette Montgomery Sr. Director of Head Start Janie B. Castro Sr. Director of Early Head Start and Support Programs Nilia L. Jiménez Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships, Support Programs and Outcomes Management Cindy Tran Sr. Director of Finance

Rondalyn S. Davis Director of ERSEA and Support Services

8 4

8 2

8

Tolenia J. Lee Manager of Board Services

13 9

12

6

17

1. Acres Homes 6719 W. Montgomery Houston, TX 77091 (713) 694-1619

4. Holbrook 6402 Langfield Rd. #45 Houston, TX 77092 (713) 462-4423

7. Ketelsen 600 Quitman Houston, TX 77009 (713) 223-3131

10. Mangum 4503 Mangum Rd. Houston, TX 77092 (713) 686-5228

13. Oxford 605 Berry Rd. Houston, TX 77022 (713) 694-8994

16. Wesley 1417 Noble St. Houston, TX 77009 (713) 227-4300

2. Browning 607 Northwood Houston, TX 77009 (713) 869-1684

5. Jefferson 5000 Sharman Houston, TX 77009 (713) 697-1108

8. KIPP 500 Tidwell Houston, TX 77022 (832) 230-0566

11. Mt. Houston 11703 Eastex Freeway Houston, TX 77039 (281) 219-2256

14. Kruse 400 Park Ln. Pb # 33 Pasadena, TX 77506 (713) 534-0350

3. Golden Forest 5750 Golden Forest Houston, TX 77092 (713) 682-9146

6. Jensen Drive 2702 Aldine-Westfield Houston, TX 77093 (713) 742-8952

9. Lincoln Park 790 West Little York Houston, TX 77091 (281) 448-3600

12. Oakwood 7211 Oakwood Glen Spring, TX 77379 (281) 370-9665

15. Tegeler 4949 Burke Pasadena, TX 77504 (713) 740-0412

17. Administrative and Program Offices 4281 Dacoma Houston, TX 77092 (713) 812-0033

AVANCE-HOUSTON 2013 ANNUAL REPORT

15

www.avancehouston.org

713.812.0033

“

“

AVANCE is making a difference because it links literacy with essential life skills.

-Former First Lady Laura Bush

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