El Paso, TX- El Paso Electric’s (EPE) Summer College and High School interns today announced their company-wide program for this year’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative. This year, the students will be developing a project that works to address the issue of substance abuse through the refurbishment of the Aliviane Inc., a nonprofit that offers treatment and recovery programs to the El Paso community.

The students will be working through the summer to meet the goal of raising $12,000, to be donated to Aliviane, for the renovation of the facility. Among the activities they develop through the summer is Awareness Week, held at EPE’s Stanton headquarters on the week of July 16, which will consist of informative events that focus on educating EPE employees about a wide range of topics related to substance abuse and mental health.

 “I am looking forward to helping both mothers and their children through this initiative,” said Abigail Carrizal, EPE’s Tax Department College Intern. “Recovering from addiction is not only difficult for the mothers, but their children are impacted as well.”

EPE interns took the opportunity to educate themselves about substance abuse and met with several people from Aliviane to develop the project early into the internship program. At the end of the summer, students and volunteers will be working to paint, refurbish, and repair sections of the Aliviane facility.

“Substance abuse is taboo subject that many people want to ignore, so we’re hoping to break the stigma.” said Hugo Ramirez, General Counsel College Intern.

The CSR Initiative is a yearly project the El Paso Electric Summer College and Summer High School Interns plan, develop, and execute. Through this project, students learn valuable lessons about teamwork and project management that will help them in college and beyond. On top of being a great career development opportunity, the interns also get to give back to their home and community. In the past, interns have raised money to help furnish a new building for the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence, and built the first Born Learning Trail in El Paso at Veterans Park, in Northeast El Paso.

About Aliviane, Inc.

Aliviane, Inc. is a nonprofit community-based that began providing services in 1970 and has developed a broad range of promotion, prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery programs in the areas of substance abuse, behavioral health, HIV services, and homelessness. Throughout the years, we have developed a strong network of community support and partnerships that help us provide quality care in West Texas. The agency is a strong provider of training and professional development for partnering organizations, health workers, interns, volunteers, and members of the community involved with public service.