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Women's Energy Network Lunch Benefits Women and Children

WEN hosts charity lunches biennially to support charities and non-profit organizations in the Houston area. Since the lunches began in the 1990s, participation has grown to more than 300 attendees and funds raised have exceeded $100,000. Last year, WEN was able to raise over $88,000 to benefit Gracewood.

AVDA was chosen because of the important work the organization undertakes to rescue women and children from battered relationships and empower them to build a safe life on their own. Among the criteria WEN emphasizes in selecting a charity recipient is to find an organization that serves women and/or children - AVDA does both. Additionally, WEN seeks to support organizations that are resourceful with the budget that they have and make the most significant impact possible with its funds. AVDA excels in this area as it handled cases for more than 1500 families in 2010 with only six attorneys.

"AVDA was a natural choice as WEN's charity lunch beneficiary for 2012," states Gindi Eckel Vincent, the charity lunch chair, "Both organizations have a message of empowering women and we look forward to shattering past fundraising records to help support AVDA in 2012."

WEN will begin its underwriting efforts for the lunch in the Fall. To learn more about the lunch, contact Gindi Eckel Vincent at gindi.vincent@pillsburylaw.com. For more information on WEN, visit www.wenhouston.org/charity. Information on AVDA can be found at www.avda-tx.org.

ABOUT WEN

Women's Energy Network is a non-profit association for women professionals that provides networking opportunities for women in the energy industry and fosters career and leadership development. WEN currently has chapters in Houston, North Texas, Southeast Louisiana and the Appalachian. Founded in 1994, the organization has more than 900 members in the Houston area. To find out more, please visit the WEN website at www.wenhouston.org.

ABOUT AVDA

Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse is a private non-profit (501)(c)(3) organization that has been serving families trapped in the cycle of family violence since 1980. Only AVDA works to break this cycle by intervening with both the victim and the abuser. AVDA operates two direct-service programs unique to Harris County. The Legal Advocacy Program offers free legal representation for adults and children trapped in abusive intimate-partner or family relationships and the nationally recognized Battering Intervention and Prevention Program provides specialized psycho-educational counseling which enables batterers to recognize, accept responsibility for and end their abusive behavior.

For Women's Energy Network
Gindi Eckel Vincent, 713-276-7678
gindi.vincent@pillsburylaw.com