Texas Rural Communities has awarded Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement a $5,000 grant to fund participants living in rural communities from Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties.

“We are immensely thankful to Texas Rural Communities for selecting VIDA as one of their grant recipients and recognizing the importance of enhancing higher education opportunities for student success,” said VIDA Deputy Executive Director Felida Villarreal. “Through this collaboration, VIDA will continue uplifting our communities across the RGV by providing financial assistance and case management services to underserved students living in rural areas.”

For 26 years, VIDA has helped more than 6,000 economically-disadvantaged valley residents achieve workforce success through long-term career training. In 2021, VIDA assisted 464 participants pursue careers in target demand occupations and prepared them to enter the workforce earning family sustaining wages. VIDA’s persistence rate was 93 percent with the average annual salary upon their graduation at $45,614.