Vivian Solis was pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse and providing more for her family when she was accepted to the vocational nursing program at South Texas College in fall 2023.
A mom of two young boys, Gavin and Gabrian, and pregnant with her third, high blood pressure and preeclampsia soon forced her in and out of the hospital. She reduced her hours as a medical assistant and worried if she could afford tuition.
But during orientation, she learned about a partnership the college had with Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement or VIDA that would change her future.
“I would have tried to Uber or work as a delivery driver, but it would have been very hard to manage everything,” Solis says. VIDA helped pay for her school books, scrubs and covered her full tuition cost this past fall. “I was in disbelief,” she says.
In 1995, community and local business leaders founded VIDA to help people who were laid off by plant closures develop new skills for a changing workforce. The nonprofit provides financial assistance for tuition, child care and transportation, and career coaching and case management for adults seeking better-paying jobs and long-term stability.
Program participants enroll in local schools and colleges to pursue degrees in health information technology, nursing, and medical coding and billing, while others earn certifications to become electricians, welders and other trade professionals.
“Our region faces many challenges, including high rates of poverty and unemployment, and low levels of higher education,” says Felida Villarreal, VIDA’s president and CEO. “VIDA was founded to address those barriers and make sure individuals who go through our program are successful.”
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is providing VIDA a $30,000 Blue ImpactSM grant to continue its work helping more than 600 students each year attend school and attain the education and skills required for higher-paying careers.
The Blue Impact grant program targets social and economic factors that influence health, including economic opportunity and stability that’s vital to better health outcomes.
“Our work with local community organizations and partners extends back decades, as we continue our focus to support healthier communities,” says Felida Villarreal, VIDA’s president and CEO. “The work that VIDA is doing is crucial to job growth and community prosperity. We’re proud to work together to strengthen the workforce and build upon the foundation for a healthier Rio Grande Valley.”
VIDA serves residents in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties, which make up part of the Rio Grande Valley. The average age of a program participant is 28 and nearly half are considered low-income. Many individuals are part-time students and people who were unable to finish their degrees. Others have no higher education background.
Outreach specialists travel to job fairs, social service agencies and other community settings to talk with potential participants. Those who qualify for VIDA meet with an intake coordinator to complete a needs assessment and are matched to one of VIDA’s five full-time counselors for weekly check-ins. Counselors follow-up with individuals for up to three years after they’ve landed a job.
“Our counselors develop individual bonds with students to understand their primary concerns and barriers to success,” Villarreal says. “That way they're able to stay committed and encouraged to persist in their training career.”
Average hourly wages for program participants increased from $5.70 before entering the VIDA program to $22.96 after graduating. In 2023, 96% of individuals graduated the program.
Solis gave birth to her third son Gadiel just before graduating from the vocational nursing program in fall 2024. She’s now pursuing her associate degree in nursing and credits her counselor and VIDA for helping her.
“I can sincerely say that VIDA played a pivotal role in helping me overcome my obstacles and ultimately achieve a dream that I otherwise may not have been able to pursue,” she says. “I’m happy and blessed for this program. This career is not only for myself and my family but also to help the community.”