Texas Border Business
Mercedes, Texas – Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) is honored to be one of 57 nonprofits chosen as grant partners through Texas Mutual Insurance Company for a generational learning grant cycle focused on supporting working families. These grants are part of Texas Mutual’s commitment of $4 million to support nonprofit organizations in Texas. Selected partners enhance worker and family health, education access, strengthen early childhood education, and provide comprehensive support empowering families with resources for seizing opportunities.
“We are very grateful to Texas Mutual for selecting VIDA as a recipient of this $100,000 grant. It remains our top priority to support our low-income residents in achieving economic mobility through high-demand, high-wage career pathways. This grant will enable VIDA to maintain its essential wraparound support services aimed at fostering economic resilience in the RGV,” said Felida Villarreal, VIDA’s President & CEO.
“At Texas Mutual, we believe that investing in the well-being of working families is an investment in the future of Texas,” said Jackie Sekiguchi, Texas Mutual community affairs manager. “Through these grants, we are empowering organizations that share our commitment to providing essential resources and support for hardworking employees and their family members to ensure they have the tools they need to not only survive but thrive.”
This grant offers crucial financial backing and stands as a compelling demonstration of how collective efforts of individuals and organizations can address vital community challenges. VIDA expresses deep gratitude to Texas Mutual for their belief in the organization’s mission.
About Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, is the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. Texas Mutual provides coverage to 42% of the market, representing over 76,000 companies, many of which are small businesses. Since 1991, the company has provided a stable, competitively priced source of workers’ comp insurance for Texas employers. Helping employers prevent workplace accidents is an important part of Texas Mutual’s mission. For more information on Texas Mutual’s statewide grant initiative, including a full list of grant recipients, please visit Community Funding page.
About Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement:
For over 29 years, VIDA has helped more than 6,000 economically disadvantaged valley residents successfully complete career training programs in high demand occupations and achieve self-sufficiency. In 2023, VIDA served 627 participants with an average persistence rate of 96%. Participants entered VIDA’s program earning an average hourly wage of $10.54, but graduated and secured employment with an average hourly wage of over $23.44! This is a true 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.
