Community development corporation extends services to veterans

PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) is a community development corporation that provides services for veterans in six states including Texas.

Now in Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr Counties, on Tuesday, CPLC extended its commitment to supporting and empowering Veteran households in these regions.

“Veterans are the heartbeat of our community, and at CPLC, we recognize their enduring significance,” said Jerry Peña CPLC Project Director and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran. “As a veteran myself, I understand firsthand the resilience, sacrifice, and commitment that define their service and shape our shared history.”

The primary goal of the SSVF Program is to provide fair housing stability services to low-income Veteran families residing in or transitioning to permanent housing.

Peña said housing is one of the biggest services veterans ask about along with others.

“Housing, utility, and transportation are some of the big ones that veterans normally need. So we have some organizations that do provide that. For example, we did provide that with our SSVF program that provides housing for homeless veterans or those near homelessness, we’re able to pay utilities as well as light or water, things like that nature. Other organizations provide mobility services, to include other types of organizations or other types of services and assist them.”

Vietnam Veteran Oscar Alonzo said he was pleased with an event like this.

“It’s great, but people [veterans] need to take advantage of stuff like this, the information they can get. They’re not going to come to you. You gotta go to them,” said Alonzo.

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