PHARR, July 17— Good Samaritan Community Services- Rio Grande Valley (Good Samaritan-RGV) and the City of Pharr will celebrate a commitment to education at the organization’s 3rd Annual Celebrating Community Commitment on August 7, 2013.
Established in 2010, Celebrating Community Commitment is an event centered on upholding the value of education in the Rio Grande Valley. This year’s event honorees, UTPA President, Dr. Robert Nelsen and STC President, Dr. Shirley Reed have dedicated their careers to changing the lives of youth and adults in South Texas. Likewise, Good Samaritan-RGV has striven to provide a safe learning environment for youth since 2009.
The event is an auction and dinner benefit that seeks to raise $50,000 in order to ensure Good Samaritan-RGV can continue to provide quality after-school and summer activities. This year’s theme is “Round-up for Education,” aligning with the honorees and programs’ commitment to improving education opportunities for youth living in the Rio Grande Valley.
With its Camp Good Sam summer program in full swing, more than 200 students between the ages of 6 – 14 years old are receiving a variety of opportunities from the program, including: academic fieldtrips, character building, sports camps , and college readiness presentations. One student, nine-year-old, Yahir Portillo, greatly enjoys the activities available at Good Samaritan-RGV.
“Good Sam is my favorite place to go,” said Yahir. “I always have a lot of fun here.”
In addition to being a fun place to go, Good Samaritan-RGV has served as Yahir’s learning center. During the spring semester, Yahir struggled with his homework. When the program discovered he was on the verge of failing several classes, he began to receive one-on-one help from staff and volunteers after-school.
Thanks to the available resources at Good Samaritan-RGV and his own perseverance, Yahir made big improvements on his grades by the end of the semester. He passed all his classes and changed his study habits.
The 3rd Annual Celebrating Community Commitment will be held at the Pharr Events Center beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $100 and can be purchased online at www.goodsamrgv.com.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities and tickets for this event please contact Javier Gonzalez, Good Samaritan-RGV Development Office at (956) 781-3560, (956) 784-0682 or email gonzalez_j@goodsamcenter.com.
About Good Samaritan Community Services
Good Samaritan Community Services is a catalyst for change, supporting individuals and families by providing excellent community services to overcome the impact of poverty. What began as a ministry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on the west side of San Antonio in 1951 now reaches 4,500 individuals and families across seven (7) sites in South Texas. In the Rio Grande Valley, more than 300 kids are served in our after school and summer enrichment programs each year.
