CCSCT Recipient of $25,000 Hispanic Federation Grant

Community Council of South Central Texas to assist more local families affected by Covid-19.

Community Council of South Central Texas is the proud recipient of a $25,000 Hispanic Federation Grant. This award will be geared towards helping the local community with various necessities during the ongoing Covid 19 Pandemic.

The Funds are needed to provide relief to people whose income has been disrupted by economic changes caused by COVID-19 especially to CCSCT clients who live in counties that are not adjacent to the San Antonio area (Bexar County). These predominately rural counties include: Dimmit, Edwards, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala.  Whereas, cases were previously sparse in rural areas, the incidence of new cases and COVID-19 deaths are beginning to increase and our service area is especially effected in the communities closest to the Mexican Border. According to the New York Times and as reported by Fox News San Antonio (August 31, 2020), the border city of Eagle Pass in Maverick County at the time of application held the greatest number of new cases in the United States, relative to the population.

CCSCT will award direct cash assistance to eligible clients in the form of gift cards from retailers such as HEB or Walmart where needed items may be purchased. Our clients are predominately Hispanic, many with underlining health conditions including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  The flexibility to utilize the gift card for prescriptions and personal hygiene items will be beneficial to our clients.

In addition, the deferment of rental evictions did not eliminate the payments that are due by those affected by income loss due to the pandemic.  These funds will allow CCSCT to provide payment for arrears and possibly a future payment to allow clients to stay in their rental home or to assist evicted clients with deposits and rental payments for a new lease. These funds will also help pay for utilities including late fees and payments, deposits for new services, and payments for utilities not commonly paid by other programs such as water, sewer and trash.

The assistance per household will be capped at $2,000.

“This Grant provides CCSCT the opportunity serve households affected by COVID-19 that we may have not been able to assist due to lack of funding…” states CCSCT Executive Director Bobby Deike, “I appreciate the Hispanic Federation’s recognition of the services CCSCT delivers to those in need.”

Hispanic Federation (HF) is the nation’s premier Latino nonprofit membership organization. Founded in 1990, HF seeks to empower and advance the Hispanic community, support Hispanic families, and strengthen Latino institutions through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, economic empowerment, & the environment.

CCSCT is a non-profit community action agency that empowers vulnerable families and individuals in the greater South Central Texas area to achieve self-sufficiency by eliminating barriers through innovative programs and strong community partnerships. Counties serviced include; Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson, and Zavala. For more information, visit www.ccsct.org or follow us at facebook.com/ccsctinc.