Category Archives: Giving Back

Large Donation of Gifts Benefit McAllen Police Officers

McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez, McAllen City Comm. Omar Quintanilla, Vital Church Pastor Chali Martinez, McAllen Police Captain Irene Luna, Martinez Furniture & Appliance CEO & President Ramon Martinez, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, McAllen Police Sgt. Gaston Balli and McAllen City Comm. Victor “Seby” Haddad.

Martinez Furniture and Appliance, and Vital Church have given a collective total of more than $1 million in gifts to McAllen police officers.  The gifts for each of the 298 McAllen police officers include a voucher for a new mattress set with a retail worth of $2,000 from Martinez Furniture and a two-night stay at Beach Resort at South Padre Island. Each will also receive a Beach Park at Isla…

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McAllen PD “Christmas For Kids” Accepting Toy Donations

Christmas For Kids, toy drive

McAllen Police Department is holding its “Christmas for Kids” for local children in need and is seeking donations. The McAllen Chamber of Commerce is accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys to deliver to the department. The drop box location is at 1200 Ash Avenue. Hour of acceptance are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Toy distribution takes place Dec. 23 at the McAllen Convention Center. The event will…

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STC Thanks-for-Giving Supports Food Pantry

STC Culinary Arts students recently held a virtual bake sale fundraiser to support the college’s student food pantry at its three main campuses.

South Texas College Culinary Arts students strapped on their aprons to support their peers in need this holiday season. In lieu of the department’s annual Thanksgiving Buffet this year, the South Texas College Culinary Arts Program hosted a Thanks-for-Giving Virtual Bake Sale in support of the college Student Food Pantry. In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, Culinary department chair chef Jennifer Guerra directed students in the fundraiser. Students baked thousands of cookies, hundreds of loaves…

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MVEC Establishes TSTC Electrical Lineworker Scholarship 

Magic Valley Electric Cooperative recently gave $20,000 to the TSTC Foundation for scholarships in Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program. The funds will benefit deserving students who one day hope to become part of the lineworker industry. “The funding will enable us to help TSTC in its work to prepare students for the workforce now and in the future,” said TSTC Senior Field Development Officer Richard Mesquias. “This…

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Knapp Foundation Gives Boost to Food Bank RGV

Stuart Haniff, Food Bank RGV CEO, with a $14,952 grant check from the Knapp Community Care Foundation.

The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley now has $14,952 more to provide food assistance to families in the Rio Grande Valley, thanks to a grant from the Knapp Community Care Foundation. The need for Food Bank RGV’s services has seen an increase with health and financial issues coming with both COVID-19 and Hurricane Hanna. With the funds, more than 75,000 meals will be available to underserved populations, according…

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McAllen VA to Distribute Produce to Veterans

A produce distribution drive-through takes place Sept. 10 to provide free fruits and vegetables to veterans. The event is made possible via a partnership between VA Texas Valley Costal Bend Health Care System and the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. Food insecurity is a serious issue affecting many Americans either daily or at the end of the month when financial resources are exhausted. Food insecurity is especially prevalent…

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Edinburg Chamber Donates to Boys & Girls Club

The Edinburg Chamber and its business members donated school supplies to the Boys & Girls Club of the Rio Grande Valley after hosting a two-week-long school supply drive. The start of the 2020-2021 school year may look very different but many students must still purchase school supplies. The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce made the decision to help parents alleviate this stress. Distribution of the supplies took place at the club…

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India Association Provides 42,000 Meals

Hari Namboodiri and Shima Choudhary, president and secretary of the India Association of Rio Grande valley present a check to Food Bank CEO Stuart Haniff. Joining them are India Association board members Sreekanth Nangavaram and KV Kanneganti.

The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley has received a donation of $8,400 from the India Association of the Rio Grande Valley. The India Association launched their “Stop Hunger” campaign in June and then extended it through July. Their goal is to provide as many meals possible to families in need amid the global pandemic. “India Association of RGV is always at the forefront of helping humanity. We are…

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Virtual Back to School Week With the IMAS

BBVA Foundation awards the IMAS $5,000 in support of daytime educational programming in 2020. Pictured earlier this year are IMAS Director of Development & Marketing Anastasia Perez, IMAS Director of Education Claudia Martinez Gray, BBVA VP of Community Relations Robert Rossel, IMAS Executive Director Ann Fortescue and BBVA Corporate Relations Manager Ernesto Sepulveda.

The International Museum of Art & Science will host a virtual back to school week Aug. 3-7. This event will provide school supplies and hands-on art and science projects to school-aged children in the Rio Grande Valley in the form of a free activity kit. >“The museum serves our community youth as a place of exploration and creativity, which has translated into online programming, live videos and workshops over the…

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Doctor Provides 20,000 Meals to Food Bank

Dr. Murthy Badiga and Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley CEO Stuart Haniff

The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley recently received a generous donation from DHR gastroenterologist Dr. Murthy Badiga to support the food bank’s on-going ‘Resource Readiness and Response’ Campaign. Badiga’s personal donation of $4,000 will provide up to 20,000 meals for those in need in the Rio Grande Valley. “The Food Bank RGV is a great organization doing an awesome job of helping those in need with life sustaining…

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