Category Archives: Non-Profit

Teaching Program Inspires RGV Students

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The 2025 TFA Corps training hard and preparing to team up with mentor teachers for summer practicum. (Teach For America Rio Grande Valley photo)

Princeton University student Wendy Kopp formulated the idea of Teach For America in 1989 for her undergraduate thesis.  The first participants in the nascent TFA program began their lifelong pursuit of educational excellence in 1990. Teach for America Rio Grande Valley was founded the following year. The national organization and its affiliates around the country are non-profit institutions. They recruit and train recent college graduates and professionals to teach in…

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Spurring Inspiration and Motivation

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With VIDA's assistance, Maritza Hernandez, center, graduated in December 2024 with her Associate Degree in Nursing from South Texas College. (Courtesy)

Motivation can be derived from a variety of sources. Maritza Hernandez didn’t need to look far to find hers. A single mother, she merely looked at her daughter to gain motivation, determined to provide her with a better future. Already earning a steady income as a private-duty nurse, Hernandez knew that she needed to further her education to open the doors of opportunity in her field. “I first heard about…

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Pharr Mother Knows Best

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Maria “Mily” Moreno

Pharr resident Maria “Mily” Moreno found herself at a crossroads in life. Divorced and the mother of two sons — ages 25 and 15 — she knew she needed to find a new path. Moreno resigned from her dead-end job and accepted a position as a part-time contract employee for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. This move cut her income by $20,000 a year.  One day, Moreno encountered a South…

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A Second Chance with VIDA

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Miguel Martinez III

April is Second Chance Month, and Harlingen resident Miguel Martinez III knows all about second chances. Dec. 5, 2024 is a day he will never forget. Martinez was released from prison after serving three years for burglary of habitation and theft of a motor vehicle. According to cleanslataeinitiative.org, Second Chance Month is “a nationally recognized celebration of second chances, fresh starts and breaking barriers for people who have been impacted…

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Mission Mom’s Balance Pays off with VIDA

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This month’s VIDA spotlight is written by Chris Ardis and VIDA Staff For years, Mission resident Maria Garcia had juggled the responsibilities of being a wife and mother to three energetic children, now ages 4, 8, and 12. Yet, despite her best efforts, Garcia found herself facing unemployment, her dreams of a stable career dimmed by the weight of financial burdens and uncertainty. Garcia’s dreams came back to life while…

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San Juan Mom Receives a Lifeline with VIDA

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Rosa Diaz

San Juan resident Rosa I. Diaz describes life as a single mother with four children as both challenging and rewarding. Working full time as a provider, she earned above minimum wage; however, stretching her $11-per-hour earnings proved to be no small task. “While I was grateful for my job, I knew I wanted more for myself and my family,” Diaz said. She saw an advertisement for the Valley Initiative for…

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VIDA Seeks To Serve More Students

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Nursing school graduates at South Texas College can look forward to rewarding careers after receiving the support of VIDA in earning the degrees and certifications. (Courtesy)

Felida Villarreal worked in the private sector as an accountant and financial analyst and developed an interest in the work of non-profit organizations focused on community service. In the early 2020s, that interest led to a job as the director of finance for VIDA, the acronym for Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement. The Mercedes-based organization was founded in 1995 and serves residents in the four-county Rio Grande Valley. The…

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VIDA Support Turns Student’s Worries Into Success

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McAllen resident Rachel Tauli Batallang works as a patient sitter, a health-care worker with specialized training to intently monitor and assist patients requiring close supervision. When she started in this position, Batallang earned $9.30 an hour; however, her pay has increased to $12.07 per hour. Batallang enjoys this job but longed to be a nurse. Former classmates of Battalang told her about the Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement. This…

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Pushing Through a Journey of Hurdles

Education News Non-Profit Comments
Alyssa Soto

When it comes to surmounting barriers to higher education, Alyssa Soto of Pharr could be a first-place hurdler. In her mid-30s, Soto is a single mother of three children, ages 8, 9 and 14. Prior to 2022, she had been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years. When her circumstances changed, Soto realized she needed to pursue a degree; she chose nursing and gained acceptance to South Texas College in the…

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Finding New Hope with VIDA

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Aida Meza had a job as a phlebotomist, earning $12 an hour. She felt fulfilled, but making ends meet proved challenging for this single mother. In July 2023, she applied for acceptance into the Medical Laboratory Technology Program at Texas Southmost College. One month later, she received an acceptance letter. Meza felt a sense of excitement and trepidation.  As she prepared to start the program, a barrier appeared along her…

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