PHARR — Pharr city officials kicked-off a new economic development foundation that is intended to help local students pay for school.
The Pharr Economic Development Corporation and the city of Pharr hosted an inauguration ceremony to celebrate the new Pharr EDC Foundation and the induction of its Founding Board of Directors.
The festivities were held Thursday evening at the EDC offices located at 1215 South Cage Boulevard.
“Tonight we’re celebrating our new created Pharr Economic Development Corporation Foundation, something that we talked about a couple of years ago,” Pharr EDC Executive Director and newly sworn-in Pharr EDC Foundation President Victor Perez said following the ceremony. “Last year because of COVID we couldn’t do anything.”
Perez said the idea for the new foundation came from his experiences as a former educator and school board member, witnessing the economic hardships faced by many local students trying to pay for college.
“I could see a lot of students who wanted to go to college but were unable to because of financial reasons,” Perez said. “That was why I felt that we needed to do something. We do so much for business people. We do so much for the community, but we need to start doing something for the future of tomorrow.”
Thursday’s event saw the EDC Foundation’s new board members, made up of local businessmen and women and local educators, sworn-in by Pl. 3 Commissioner Ramiro Caballero. The board members include, Perez, Reynaldo Perez, vice-president, Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, treasurer, Feliz Chavez Jr., Edna De Saro, Veronica Gonzales, Stuart Haniff, Hans Humphrey, Sara Lozano, Jerry Maddox, Dorian Madrigal, Tony Martinez, Alex Meade, Annabelle Palomo, Johnny Rodriguez and Robert Tudor.
Hernandez explained that Pharr students will soon be able to apply for grants through the foundation, which is being funded through Pharr Bridge revenues.
“They will be able to apply for grants so they can not be withheld from their productivity or their goals,” Hernandez said. “If they want to go to a university or a college or a trade school, so be it. We’re here to help everybody, as long as you’re a Pharr resident, so you can reach your goals and become the next generation for Pharr.”
Hernandez said that, with the exemption of himself who is mayor, the foundation did not want elected officials to be board members in order to avoid any chance of bias during the grant application process.
The foundation got a jumpstart from the Pharr City Commission who presented a $500,000 check during the ceremony.
“The next step is that we already have the applications ready,” Hernandez said. “The board will take in the applications. We’re going to have a website. Give us about a week, it’ll be up. It’ll have the rules of engagement, and then people can apply. The goal is to be sure that everybody we can possibly take care of is taken care of.”
