The Angel Tree Program, along with The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle Campaign, is one of The Salvation Army’s best-known Christmas efforts. More than 100,000 children across Texas, enough to fill the Dallas Cowboys stadium, will experience the joy of opening presents on Christmas morning thanks to generous donors and the help of The Salvation Army. “The Angel Tree program provides toys and clothing to children and families who might…
The small businesses in SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities. The impact of the pandemic has been tough on many of our small businesses. And still, small business owners continue to demonstrate their resilience and commitment to meet the moment before them. As the world changed, almost overnight, small business owners pivoted just as quickly to offer new…
The Region One Education Service Center GEAR UP: Pathways to the Future Program and Operation College Bound & Beyond project has joined forces with the Texas A&M RGV Advanced Manufacturing Hub to transform the local workforce by investing in the education of adult learners. Participants joined Region One ESC at its Conference Center in Edinburg to take advantage of the free opportunity to earn two cybersecurity certificates, “Cybersecurity for Everyone”…
“There is a saying, something along the lines of, ‘Society grows when men plant trees whose shade they will never be able to sit under.’ Likewise, we, as a society, need to look out for one another. Only in that way will we be able to grow and progress to a stable community.” ~ Abdiel Ramirez Back in seventh grade, Abdiel Ramirez found reading books about a variety of medical…
On Oct. 14, Valley Interfaith and Industrial Areas Foundation had the rare opportunity to visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican. An interfaith delegation of 20 leaders and organizers from the West/Southwest IAF met with Francis to share their collective work of broad based organizing at a time when the Pope is guiding the global church in a Synod listening process. The Pope sat side by side with the group at…
Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education Magazine has ranked UTRGV second in the country for awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic/Latino students in its annual “Hispanic Outlook Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” edition. The magazine also notes that while UTRGV ranks second, it still had the largest percentage of bachelor’s degrees specifically awarded to Hispanic/Latino students, with 93 percent. UTRGV places fourth for total master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic/Latino students and…
Manuel Alvarez and his wife, Nadia Escalante, started out with an at-home bakery in Brownsville, creating their Pastel Japones. Said another way, they are Japanese cotton cheesecakes. The popularity of the fluffy sponge-looking cake would take off. In part it was due to the uniqueness of the product in the Rio Grande Valley market. It’s a region filled with pan dulce shops and custom cake bakeries. It’s difficult to find…
The familiar The Red Kettle Campaign of The Salvation Army will soon be in full swing in Harlingen. The Christmas season represents the organization’s busiest and most important fundraising time of the year. Every dollar raised through the iconic Red Kettle Campaign remains in the community. The donations makes it possible for The Salvation Army to deliver life changing programs and services throughout the year. “From its humble beginnings in…
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is currently coordinating McAllen Day in Austin during the upcoming 88th legislative session. The capitol visit will take place Feb. 15-17, 2023, with an entire day at the capitol on Feb. 16. During this time, the group has the opportunity to make personal visits with every Texas legislator. The group will divide into teams and visit with assigned legislators so they get to meet with…
Farming and ranching history and heritage runs deep in Mercedes. The city was founded in 1909 by a land company which built some of the first canals in the Rio Grande Valley to irrigate farm fields and attract agricultural interests from the Midwest. The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show would find its home in Mercedes in the late 1930s and continues running strong to the present. The Farm Fest this…