AUSTIN, TX – On August 24, 2021; the Texas Veterans Commission’s (TVC) Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) presented $3,975,000 in grants to 13 organizations for services provided directly to veterans in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. The grants will fund services for approximately 3,200 veterans.
Watch TVC Chairwoman Laura Koerner discuss the grants and thank grantees for their support of Texas veterans on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/texasveteranscommission/videos/1218848948588772
Or on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4o75W1OquI
The grant recipients and their services include:
Cameron County Veteran County Service Office (VCSO) – one General Assistance grant for a total of $200,000; this grant funds employment support services for veterans in Cameron County.
City of Laredo – one Housing for Texas Heroes grant for a total of $250,000; this grant funds home modification services for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses in Webb County.
Community Action Corporation of South Texas – one General Assistance grant for a total of $300,000; this grant funds Veteran Homelessness Prevention Programs services for veterans and dependents across 10 counties within the South Texas Region.
Goodwill Industries of South Texas, Inc. – one General Assistance grant for a total of $100,000; this grant funds employment support services for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses across seven counties within the South Texas Region.
Hidalgo Community Service Agency– one General Assistance grant for a total of $300,000; this grant funds financial assistance services for veterans in Hidalgo County.
Hidalgo County VCSO– one General Assistance grant for a total of $500,000; this grant funds financial assistance services for veterans in Hidalgo County.
Hidalgo County Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) – one VTC grant for a total of $50,000; this grant funds Treatment Court services for veterans in Hidalgo County. Veterans Treatment Courts are designed to provide justice involved veterans with the resources and assistance to get their life back on track. The court presents each with an individualized plan to complete over a period of several months. Regular court appearances are scheduled to monitor progress. If the veteran successfully completes the treatment, charges may be permanently removed.
Nueces County VTC – one VTC grant for a total of $225,000; this grant funds Treatment Court services for veterans across three counties within the South Texas Region.
Salvation Army – Corpus Christi – one General Assistance grant for a total of $400,000; this grant funds homeless veteran support services for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses across seven counties within the South Texas Region.
Tropical Texas Behavioral Health – 2 grants for a total of $800,000; this includes
- one $300,000 General Assistance grant funding financial assistance services for veterans and dependents across three counties within the South Texas Region
- one $500,000 Veterans Mental Health grant funds peer support services for veterans and dependents across three counties within the South Texas Region. Peer delivered services are provided in a non-clinical environment by trained/certified individuals who share a military “lived experience” with clients.
Webb County 406th District Court VTC– one VTC grant for a total of $300,000; this grant funds Treatment Court services for veterans across 11 counties within the Alamo and South Texas Regions.
Webb County VCSO – one General Assistance grant for a total of $150,000; this grant funds transportation programs and services for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses in Webb County.
Willacy County VCSO – two grants for a total of $400,000; this includes:
- one $100,000 General Assistance grant funding financial assistance services for veterans and surviving spouses in Willacy County.
- one $300,000 Housing for Texas Heroes grant to provide home modification for veterans, dependents, and surviving spouses in Willacy County.
The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Commissioners approved these grant awards in May as part of an overall grant program providing 147 grants to organizations across Texas. Grants totaling $33.4 million for 2021-2022 will serve an estimated 30,000 veterans.
Since 2009 through the 2020-2021 grant cycle, $168 million in grant funding has been awarded through 820 FVA grants and served more than 350,000 Texas veterans and their families.
The grants support a wide range of services from emergency financial assistance to transportation, legal services to family support services and home modification to rental and mortgage assistance. The TVC awards grants in five categories: General Assistance, Housing for Texas Heroes, Veterans Mental Health Grants, Veterans Treatment Courts and Veteran County Service Officers.
Veterans in need of assistance can find the organizations providing help in their area and how to contact them at https://www.tvc.texas.gov/grants/assistance/
Funding for these grants is generated primarily by the Texas Lottery Commission’s games designated for veteran support. Other sources of funding for the grants come from individual donation options on drivers’ licenses, licenses to carry a handgun, outdoor recreation licenses for hunting and fishing, and vehicle registrations.
Helping veterans starts here. The Texas Veterans Commission advocates for and provides superior service to veterans that will significantly improve the quality of life for all Texas veterans, their families and survivors. The TVC assists veterans with receiving their benefits, provides funding to agencies which provide direct services to veterans and provides administration of the Hazlewood Act education benefits. Learn more at www.tvc.texas.gov .