TX Rep. Zerwas (R): “No Better Use of $500K Than Capital IDEA”
Leaders celebrated word that the labor market intermediary established by The Metropolitan Organization of Houston, Capital IDEA-Houston, won a Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) grant, giving it half a million dollars to train hundreds more community college students for living wage careers in Houston. TMO, with their sister organizations in the Texas IAF, helped establish the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) grant to support projects that prepare low-income workers to attain degrees and certificates in high demand occupations including nursing and information technology. Texas State Representative John Zerwas (R-Richmond) highly praised Capital IDEA-Houston, declaring he "could not find a better use of $500K than to invest in Capital IDEA-Houston." Texas State Representative Sylvester Turner (D-Houston) chimed in adding "we should continue to invest $5 Million in these projects." The award will support about 250 students attending Houston Community College and Lone Star College.
ARRIBA Celebrates 1,000th Graduate & $500K ACE Award

According to a 2010 report prepared by the Institute for Policy and Economic Development at the University of Texas at El Paso, Project ARRIBA's work provides a $26 return for every dollar invested. Graduates of the labor market intermediary "contribute half a billion dollars to the El Paso economy," ARRIBA Executive Director Roman Ortiz said.
Read moreAustin Interfaith Victory: Clergy Defends Section 8 Voucher Holders

Council Approves Housing Voucher Ordinance, KVUE-ABC
Read moreArchbishop Fiorenza Lauds Church's Work with TMO for Schools

The closure of the school would not only force its children to attend a far distant school, but it also would have eliminated an institution which gives vitality, stability, a sense of confidence and well-being to the community.
Read moreEPISO & Border Interfaith Pass Payday Lending Reform in El Paso

The new payday lending reform in El Paso allows lenders to loan no more than 20% of a borrower's gross income. Contracts must now be presented in the person's dominant language and short-term loans cannot be rolled over more than three times.
Read moreAustin Interfaith Saves 173 Affordable Homes

"'I strongly believe that the redevelopment of Oak Creek Village won't just lead us to a better community but a model for the city of Austin,' Malone said.
Read morePresident Obama Thanks Dallas Area Interfaith Leaders

Months prior to the Presidential visit, institutional leaders of Dallas Area Interfaith raised $20,000 to produce 100,000 copies of a multi-colored, bilingual booklet designed to educate uninsured residents about how the Affordable Care Act works. Civic academies, held in church sanctuaries and school cafeterias, have so far reached 1,600 North Texas residents, sometimes as many as 200 at a time. Leaders are learning that many people require basic education about how health insurance works with questions like "what is a deductible?" commonly raised.
Read moreWhite House Lauds Dallas Area Interfaith Enrollment Efforts

President Obama plans to meet with Dallas Area Interfaith at Temple Emanu-El, where hundreds of institutional leaders gathered last month to launch their institutional enrollment outreach strategy. Chair of the DAI Healthcare Committee Gwen Lummus explained to the Dallas Morning News that "this area had the highest percentage of uninsured in the whole country. That's one of the reasons we've been working on this."
Read moreTBO Fights for Groundwater Conservation on the Border
The Border Organization notified the Val Verde Commissioners Court that they plan to move ahead with efforts for groundwater conservation on the border, through the creation of a groundwater district that would regulate the amount of water sold to private corporations. Recent proposals by private corporations to pipe water from the border and into San Antonio spurred leaders like Sandra Fuentes into action. They plan to work with city council members and state legislators to address the lack of oversight.
Read moreAustin Leaders Leverage $2.38M in Youth Investments

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