PHARR — The city of Pharr and the Greater Pharr Chamber of Commerce announced a partnership with AdventGX that will provide free support and guidance to local small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through the partnership, AdventGX will direct a team of Texas A&M University business students who are volunteering their time to support businesses impacted by the pandemic.
AdventGX is an economic firm based out of the Bryan-College Station area.
“They basically have a program where A&M students are able to intern with the company to learn about business and other economic tools or methods to understand the business world and learn the economic drivers of our state,” Rebecca Arizmendi, president and CEO of the Greater Pharr Chamber of Commerce, said.
Arizmendi explained that AdventGX contacted Pharr and offered resources to assist local small businesses who may be suffering as a result of COVID-19.
“They reached out to us and were basically saying that their program which has these business students would provide guidance or plans for businesses to help them either with the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans or any kind of federal relief that has already either come their way or maybe they haven’t had any luck,” Arizmendi said. “They will help guide them through the process.”
The students will also look at the sustainability of local small businesses financial future and help create plans based off of that information.
“They’ll help with their balance sheets and any kind of financial forms that they have,” Arizmendi said. “It’s at no cost.”
According to Arizmendi, AdventGX has provided assistance for other local municipalities, including Donna. It was through those local ties that the organization reached out to the city of Pharr.
The students will be providing their services virtually via phone, email and the Zoom Video Communications app.
“Everything is going to be virtual for now — kind of like a hotline, as far as I understand,” Arizmendi said. “We’re trying to get more information about the logistics of it. As far as I know, it’s going to be virtual meets.”
The chamber has already sent out a press release to its members notifying them about the availability of the new services.
More information could be found at the chamber’s website, www.greaterpharrchamber.com, as well as the city of Pharr’s website, www.pharr-tx.gov.
