/PRNewswire/ - CITGO Petroleum and local Marketer Guttman Oil have named Life'sWork of Western Pennsylvania a winner in the 2011 CITGO Summer Fueling Good program. Recognized for its ongoing efforts to provide employment assistance to people with disabilities or other employment barriers, the non-profit organization has been awarded $5,000 in CITGO gift cards to help extend its ripple of good and the impact of its work.

"Our mission is to provide individuals with disabilities and other hiring barriers with the self-respect that comes from being able to support oneself. We offer a range of assistance from assessing individuals' job and life skills to resume building and driving people to job tryouts and interviews," said Everett McElveen, president and CEO of Life'sWork of Western Pennsylvania. "We are grateful for this donation from CITGO and Guttman Oil that will help us continue this mission. We drive hundreds of miles annually to transport people to and from job training sites and job interviews, and to provide support to those who are already working in the community. Having our fuel taken care of allows us to focus our money and resources on helping more individuals." 

Since 1927, Life'sWork of Western Pennsylvania has been providing opportunity, employment and independence to more than 2,000 individuals each year. A team of dedicated caseworkers helps each applicant establish a realistic vocational goal plan. Once the plan is set, the caseworkers work with the applicants to make sure the plan is realized through a wide variety of services, including one-on-one interview training, job assessments, resume workshops, emotional support and transportation to interviews.

"It is an honor to help recognize and reward Life'sWork of Western Pennsylvania for its ongoing commitment to helping people with disabilities in our community," said Richard Guttman, president of Guttman Oil. "Life'sWork provides a unique and incredibly valuable service to these individuals. We are very proud to partner with CITGO in its support of this wonderful charity."

Life'sWork of Western Pennsylvania is one of 12 CITGO Summer Fueling Good campaign winners selected from more than 1,100 charities through a nationwide online vote. More than 100,000 votes were cast to help identify the latest winners in one of four categories: Environmental Protection and Restoration; Education and Social Investment; Energy Assistance and Conservation; and Health and Well-being. 

Voting for the Fall 2011 Fueling Good program closes on Oct. 27 and the next 12 winners will be announced in November. Registration for the Winter program begins Dec. 1 and all 501(c) (3) non-profit organizations based in the 26 states and District of Columbia in which CITGO operates are invited to submit an entry at www.FuelingGood.com.

For regular updates and to join the conversation, "Like" CITGO Fueling Good at www.Facebook.com/CITGOFuelingGood and view videos of past winners at www.youtube.com/CITGOFuelingGood. 

CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

CITGO Petroleum Corporation

CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry with a well-known brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Corpus Christi, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; and Lemont, Ill., and wholly and/or jointly owns 48 terminals, nine pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,400 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO is ranked as the fifth-largest, and one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products and supplies a network of approximately 4,700 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets in 30 states and the District of Columbia. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com. 

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