$1M grant will aid in AVANCE's community efforts

CHAPARRAL — In one room of the Chaparral Community Center, toddlers chanted along with a Spanish nursery rhyme. In another, their mothers and grandmothers sipped coffee as a teacher explained, in Spanish, how to give a baby a bath in a clean sink if a tub was not available — eliciting chuckles when she reminded them to check for soap behind baby’s ears. The classes were put on by the AVANCE organization, which aims to help Hispanic families escape poverty through classes in early childhood development, parenting, adult literacy and healthy marriage. Those efforts were aided Wednesday with the announcement of a $1.066 million grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation.

“The grant is over three years and to impact 3,000 children and at least 2,500 families in El Paso and Doña Ana counties,” said Sanjay Mathur, executive director of AVANCE. “In Doña Ana County, next year, we will be in Berino and San Miguel and as far north as Rinc-n and Brazito and Organ.”

AVANCE was one of just three organizations — out of more than 100 applications — receiving major grants, said Susana Navarro, chair of Paso del Norte’s allocations committee.

The women said the AVANCE sessions were beneficial for them — some were in English classes while others were preparing to head back to college — and their children, who were learning to share, speak English and play with other children.

Those in attendance at the check-presentation ceremony, including Silvia Sierra, the county’s director of Health and Human Services, and Doña Ana County Commissioners Oscar Vásquez-Butler and Dolores Saldaña-Caviness told them all to keep up the good work.

“This represents dreams,” said Lily Lim-n, vice chairwoman of the AVANCE board of directors. “In eight, 10, 12 years, you’ll see the results with your children, as they’re graduating high school and going on to college and getting out of here, because, as César Chávez said, ÁS’, se puede!”