Congressman Cuellar Announces $155,295 for Colonias Program

CONGRESSMAN CUELLAR ANNOUNCES $155,295 FOR COLONIAS PROGRAM

Washington, DC- Congressman Henry Cuellar today announced that the Corporation for National and Community Service Grant (CNCS) has awarded $155,925 to the Texas A&M Center for Housing and Urban Development to continue the Center's "Colonias Program".

These funds will allow Texas A&M to continue funding four promotoras or community educators in Webb County. The promotoras will in turn assist their fellow colonias residents by informing them about valuable education, housing, workforce development, medical and social service programs and help them to complete application forms, set appointments with service providers, provide them with transportation, etc.

The promotoras are presently teaching residents how to cope in the event of a natural disaster by utilizing the Community Emergency Response Team Training Model.
"It is important that we continue strengthening the social and economic infrastructure of these communities by providing them with every possible resource available to us. The colonias have come a long way in recent years, but there remains much work to be done," said Congressman Cuellar. "I applaud the Colonias program and the promotoras for their tireless efforts to improve the quality of life for colonias residents," he continued.
Throughout his career in public service, Congressman Cuellar has passed landmark colonias legislation, including funding for water and sewage needs, paving rural roads, and creating a strike force within the Texas Attorney General's Office to make unscrupulous developers accountable.
Congressman Cuellar's legislation has also created Self-Help Centers which assist colonias residents in improving their homes, and created County Planning Commissions to better plan growth in unincorporated areas in border counties.

Congressman Cuellar has also assisted with funding the Texas A&M Promotoras and the Colonias Community Centers. He not only worked to curb the growth of colonias but also helped fund education, healthcare, and affordable housing needs for all colonias residents.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Budget and Agriculture committees in the 109th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care and economic development are his priorities.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/tx28_cuellar/060413.html