VIDA awarded $25K grant to help fund services, expand accessibility

The Hispanic Federation Nonprofit Emergency Assistance Fund has awarded Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) a grant in the amount of $25,000 to fund its ongoing COVID-19 emergency assistance services and expand accessibility to career training programs.

Funds from this grant will be utilized to train socioeconomically disadvantaged Latinos in allied health programs and help them secure competitive employment with family sustaining wages.

“The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic has substantially impacted Latino-based communities with soaring rates of unemployment, layoffs, and financial hindrance. It is critical to expand human capital investment efforts to provide Latinos the essential resources for the opportunity to enhance their employability and return to the workforce. We are immensely thankful to the Hispanic Federation for selecting VIDA as one of their grant recipients and recognizing the importance of training Latinos in target demand healthcare careers during COVID-19 recovery. Through this collaboration, VIDA will continue uplifting our communities across the RGV by providing financial assistance and case management services to hundreds of underserved students.” said Felida Villarreal, VIDA’s Deputy Executive Director.

For 26 years, VIDA has helped over 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 prepare them to enter the workforce earning family sustaining wages. Our persistence rate was 93% and best of all, the average annual salary upon their graduation was $45,614.

This is a representation of human capital investment and aligning workforce skills with local industry demand.

To learn more about VIDA, please visit www. vidacareers.org or call (956) 903-1900, as well as (1-800) 478-1770.

Story Courtesy VIDA