Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation, has awarded a total of $75,000 to Rio Grande Valley nonprofits. The grants reinforce Texas Mutual’s commitment to workforce development and helping fund organizations that assist Texans that need help the most. Grants have been awarded to AVANCE and RGV FOCUS.
“We have a deep commitment to building a stronger, safer Texas, and through our partnerships with organizations across the state, we’re able to deliver on that commitment,” said Jeremiah Bentley, vice president of marketing and community affairs at Texas Mutual. “These grants help us maintain our mission while, more importantly, assisting people who need it the most. Helping individuals develop career skills and addressing other workforce issues—from childcare to food access—is something that Texas Mutual knows is an important part of being good corporate citizens.”
AVANCE’s mission is to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through innovative, two-generation education and support for families with young children. The organization envisions a world where children and parents advance to their full potential and in doing so, transform communities. Texas Mutual’s grant will assist AVANCE as it continues to support families during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving them access to at-home learning materials, a food pantry and other basic necessities.
“AVANCE is incredibly grateful to Texas Mutual for the support they are providing,” said Teresa Granillo, chief executive officer of AVANCE. “Our families in the area have experienced incredible loss this past year with the pandemic, the hurricane and the most recent winter storm. Now more than ever, we have to come together to support the children and families that our are future; we are proud to partner with Texas Mutual in this endeavor.”
RGV FOCUS is a collective impact initiative of Educate Texas, an educational arm of Dallas-based Communities Foundation of Texas. The organization believes that setting clear goals and measuring progress is the best path to achieve success and has identified strategic priorities and aligned indicators for each focus area. The grant will assist in providing essential transportation to students who live in the underserved areas of Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron Counties to help them earn their Department of Labor (DOL) apprenticeship journeyman certification.
“The Texas Mutual grant awarded to RGV FOCUS is critical to our work in advancing educational opportunities and increasing certificates/degrees in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Dr. Rodney Rodrigues, senior director for RGV FOCUS. “We are extremely thankful for our continued partnership with Texas Mutual and look forward to working together on future opportunities to support the workforce in Texas.”
These grants are part of a larger $2,875,000 grant distribution to community organizations across Texas.
“We are proud of the great work these organizations are doing in their communities. The local impact they make is tangible and contributes to bettering the lives of thousands across the state,” said Bentley.
For more information about Texas Mutual’s community program, visit texasmutual.com/community.
