Mercedes, Texas (Jan. 02, 2024)—Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) is honored to be one of 57 nonprofits chosen as grant partners through Texas Mutual Insurance Company development and safety training grant cycle focused on fortifying businesses to strengthen the state’s economy. These grants are part of Texas Mutual’s larger commitment of $8 million in grant funding to nonprofit organizations across the state in two categories—generational learning for working families, and workforce development and safety training.

“We are very grateful to Texas Mutual, for selecting VIDA as a recipient of this $100,000 grant. It is our continued priority to support our low-income residents to achieve economic mobility through high-demand and high-wage career pathways. This grant will allow VIDA to continue providing the essential wraparound support services for building and sustaining a competitive workforce in the RGV.” said Felida Villarreal, VIDA’s President & CEO.

“We recognize that empowering these nonprofits with grants is an investment in the future for more resilient communities and a stronger workforce for Texas,” said Jackie Sekiguchi, Texas Mutual community affairs manager. “Each organization inspires us through their dedication to workforce development and safety training.”

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 texasmutual.com/workforce-development.

About Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement: For over 28 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.