Welcome to the 2nd Quarter Edition of the 2022 Pharr Economic Times Newsletter! On behalf of our board, staff, and members at the Pharr EDC, we thank you for your continued support and business. It has been another successful and busy quarter, and we are excited to share our many exciting economic development projects and news with you.
When Pharr found itself labeled as one of the “worst connected” cities in the United States, while still unable to access federal funding to fix the problem, it took creating a solution into its own hands.
Pharr’s solution consists of creatively using many resources from right within the city to create connectivity for low-income houses, often for free or at a low cost. These resources include the following:
The fiber project is Pharr’s ultimate goal. And, in order to make it a reality, the city needed funding alongside the support of its many partners. In order to obtain that funding, the city used revenue bonds and money from the American Rescue Plan Act, preventing the city from needing to raise property taxes or the burden on the households it was trying to help.
Pharr’s partner in securing the funding for the FTTH project? The Pharr EDC.
“The City of Pharr is innovative, and when the idea came up, the Pharr EDC was happy to partner with the city to bring broadband to our residents,” says Victor Perez, Pharr EDC President/CEO in a BroadBand Community news article.
Thanks to the funding and partnerships obtained by Pharr, the city is now in the process of creating fiber access to the Internet in its third neighborhood and providing marketing to make residents aware of their access to the Internet.
Pharr’s connectivity solutions are supporting residents, are part of its efforts to attract new business to the city, and are inspiring other cities to pursue their own fiber network solutions to bridge the digital divide.
Encouraged by the Pharr EDC’s business-friendly approach, incentives, and packages, produce companies Delta Fresh and Kaliroy Fresh have collaborated to build 1 million square feet of produce storage space in South Pharr.
In an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, William Millan, project manager of the new space, called Dekal Industrial Park, credited Pharr’s location near Mexico and the Pharr EDC’s commitment to making business investments in the city easy, as the reasons the project chose Pharr for its location.
The project marks a massive addition of warehouse space to the refrigerated warehouses the two produce companies already own in Pharr. It will consist of a mix of dry, frozen, and refrigerated space to meet client needs. The first warehouse in the new space should be completed next year.
Victor Perez, Executive Director of Pharr EDC, in the same interview, also announced several new projects that the Pharr EDC has brought into the city. These include the following:
Perez noted that the Pharr EDC never refuses new business, and never stops striving to bring in the business and growth that benefits Pharr.
“We’re here to do business with them,” he said.” We don’t turn projects away. We incentivize as much as we can. That is what we are known for. We want to make sure they [Businesses] feel comfortable that they have been treated right and given the best opportunity for them to succeed.”
PHARR, Texas – The Pharr EDC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarship opportunities for graduating students residing in the city of Pharr.
Its mission statement is to “support and promote endeavors that foster educational, occupational, and career opportunities for Pharr residents to advance their socioeconomic status and enhance their quality of life.”
Lilvette Santos is the director of the Pharr EDC Foundation. She recently sat down with Rio Grande Guardian International News Service editor and publisher Steve Taylor to discuss the foundation’s work. She unveiled some of the new initiatives the foundation will be embarking on in the coming months.
Pharr, Texas – On April 30, 2021, the Pharr EDC Foundation held their inaugural Scholarship Awards Ceremony and recognized over 120 scholarship recipients from throughout Pharr.
“It was truly an amazing evening as we recognized these outstanding young men and women for their educational accomplishments and aspirations,” said Victor Perez, President of the Pharr EDC Foundation and Executive Director of the Pharr EDC. “Through our scholarship, these students will now have the financial means to continue their higher education goals, and we are proud to be able to help our community and make this possible,” he added.
The Pharr EDC Foundation awarded over 120 scholarships, each at $2,000 ($1,000 per semester) for one academic year. The scholarship fund was created for students who are enrolling in a qualifying post-secondary institution.
“We had an amazing submission of applicants each who were equally outstanding and I would especially like to thank our Pharr EDC Foundation Board for their incredible work in choosing our inaugural scholarship recipients,” said Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. who serves as the Pharr EDC Foundation Board Treasurer. “This scholarship will assist many students in achieving their academic goals through financial assistance and in the long run, it will help our economy grow and prosper,” continued Hernandez.
Students from the following districts were selected as scholarship recipients: PSJA North Early College High School, PSJA Southwest Early College High School, PSJA Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School, PSJA Early College High School, PSJA Memorial Early College High School, Vanguard Academy Rembrandt, Valley View High School, Hidalgo Early College High School, South Texas ISD Health Professions, South Texas ISD World Scholars, IDEA Pharr, IDEA Edinburg, IDEA Donna, and Premier High School.
The Pharr EDC Foundation awarded scholarships to the Class of 2021 as well as to eligible students from the Class of 2020. The scholarship supports students attending a higher education institution at all levels, whether for a trade or technical degree or a four-year university.
The Pharr EDC Foundation, in partnership with the Pharr Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and the City of Pharr, is proud to announce that scholarship applications are now available for Pharr students.
The Pharr EDC Foundation will award a total of 150 scholarships, each at $2,000 ($1,000 per semester) for one academic year. Applications are available online at http://pharredc.com/foundation or can be picked up at the Pharr EDC (1215 S. Cage Blvd) in Pharr Monday through Friday between 8 am – 5 pm. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, April 12, 2021, by 5 pm.
“We are excited to open the Pharr EDC Foundation Scholarship to our Pharr community,” said Victor Perez, President of the Pharr EDC Foundation and Executive Director of the Pharr EDC. “There are many outstanding students in Pharr who are continuing their educational studies, but find themselves in need of financial assistance,” he added. “Our goal is to ensure that no student has to put their education on hold as they confront these challenges,” Perez continued.
The Scholarship Fund of the Pharr EDC Foundation was created for residents of the City of Pharr who are enrolling in a qualifying post-secondary institution. In order to apply for the Pharr EDC Foundation Scholarship, a candidate must meet the following requirements:
Completed applications should be submitted to [email protected].
An Advisory Committee composed of Foundation Board Members will review the applications and recommend recipients to the full Foundation Board of Directors. The Pharr EDC Foundation shall notify the chosen scholarship recipient(s) of its decision. All scholarship checks will be processed in a timely manner. Scholarship awards can be used for tuition, room & board, books, or other supplies.
The Pharr EDC Foundation is committed to supporting Pharr students’ achieve their educational and career dreams by helping them pay for college at all levels, whether it is for a trade or technical degree or a four-year university.
For more information about the application or should you have any questions, please contact Karina Lopez, Economic Development Manager at (956) 402-4332 or email [email protected].
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