On August 30, 2022 ; the Texas Veterans Commission’s (TVC) Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) presented $3,450,000 in grants to 16 organizations for services provided directly to veterans in the South Texas, Rio Grande Valley and Corpus Christi areas. The grants will fund services for more than 3,000 veterans, their spouses and dependents in this area. The presentation was made by TVC Chairwoman and Navy veteran Laura Koerner at the Hidalgo County Commissioners Courtroom, 100 N. Closner, Edinburg, Texas.
The grant recipients and their services include:
South Texas Afghanistan Iraq Veterans Association (STAIVA), is accepting a check for $50,000: This Veterans Mental Health Grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy Counties with Peer Support Services.
Val Verde County Veterans Service Office is accepting a check for $75,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans and surviving spouses in Kinney and Val Verde Counties with Transportation Programs and Services.
Goodwill Industries of South Texas, Inc. is accepting a check for $100,000: This General Assistance Grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents, and surviving spouses in Nueces County with Financial Assistance Services.
Nueces County is accepting a check for $150,000: This General Assistance Grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Nueces County with Financial Assistance Services.
Webb County Veteran Services is accepting a check for $150,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Webb County with Transportation Programs and Services.
Zapata County is accepting a check for $150,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents, and surviving spouses in Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb and Zapata Counties with Financial Assistance Services.
Golden Crescent Habitat for Humanity is accepting a check for $200,000: This Housing For Texas Heroes Grant will provide veterans in DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria Counties with Home Modification Services.
Cameron County is accepting a check for $200,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans and surviving spouses in Cameron County with Financial Assistance Services.
Nueces County Veterans Treatment Court is accepting a check for $200,000: This Veterans Treatment Court Grant will provide veterans in Kenedy, Kleberg and Nueces Counties with Veterans Treatment Court Services.
Tropical Texas Behavioral Health is accepting a check for $300,000: This General Assistance Grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties with Financial Assistance Services.
Willacy County Veterans Office is accepting a check for $300,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans and surviving spouses in Willacy County with Financial Assistance Services.
Hidalgo County Veterans Office is accepting a check for $300,000: This Veterans County Service Office grant will provide veterans, and surviving spouses in Hidalgo County with Financial Assistance Services.
Hidalgo County Community Service Agency is accepting a check for $300,000: This General Assistance Grant will provide veterans in Hidalgo County with Financial Assistance Services.
The Salvation Army – Corpus Christi is accepting a check for $300,000: This General Assistance Grant will provide veterans, veteran dependents and surviving spouses in Aransas, Bee, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio Counties with Homeless veterans Support Services.
Webb County 406th District Court is accepting a check for $300,000: This Veterans Treatment Court Grant will provide veterans and veteran dependents in 11 Counties across 2 FVA regions with Veterans Treatment Court Services.
City of Laredo is accepting a check for $375,000. This includes 2 grants: A $75,000 General Assistance Grant will provide veterans and surviving spouses in Webb County with Financial Assistance Services. And a $300,000 Housing For Texas Heroes Grant will provide veterans and surviving spouses in Webb County with Home Modification Services.
The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Commissioners approved these grant awards in May as part of an overall grant program providing 139 grants, totaling over $31.47 million to over 120 organizations across Texas and estimated to serve more than 22,000 veterans.
Since 2009 through the current 2022-2023 grant cycle, over $234 million in grant funding has been awarded through 1,100 FVA grants, serving an estimated 400,000 Texas veterans and their family members.
“We thank the members of the Texas Legislature for creating this grant program in 2009, and their continued support of all Texas veterans and their families,” said Koerner.
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 .