Cuellar said that through the Family Self-Sufficiency program, the Housing Authority of the County of Hidalgo will receive $95,306 and the Mission Housing Authority will receive $54,456. The funding will be used to help public housing authorities hire and train service coordinators who will assist families in becoming financially independent.

“This is money that we appropriate in the U.S. Congress to send off to programs, like the Self-Sufficient Program, which is very important because we don’t want the government to support people for the rest of their lives, we want the government to provide that catalyst so somebody can get up and be self-sufficient. This program does that exactly,” said Cuellar.

During the event, a Congressional Certificate of Recognition was awarded to the City of Mission Housing Authority Chairwoman Connie Garza for 50 years of community service.