Congressman Ruben Hinojosa Announces a Quarter of a Million Dollar Grant for South Texas College

U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15) announced a $250,539.00 grant was awarded to South Texas College of McAllen by the United States Department of Education.

The funds will be used for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program which provides campus based child care for low-income students who meet eligibility requirements. “Everyone at South Texas College who has been involved in this program are doing an outstanding job when it comes to combining higher education along with early childhood education”, said Rep. Hinojosa. “This program is meant to help students with children stay in college and it also serves to provide an excellent educational environment for their children. This is what I call a win, win situation”. 

To qualify, students must be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for that school year. The higher education institutions which are awarded the (CCAMPIS) grants must have awarded a total of $350,000 or more of Federal Pell Grant funds to students enrolled at that institution during the prior school year. Interim Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Workforce Entitlement for STC, Luzelma Canales says this is their third CCAMPIS grant. “This grant allows us to continue to enhance our services in our early child development program on our Weslaco Campus”, said Canales. “This grant also allows some of our students to do their training at our nationally accredited Day Care Center. We are hoping to use these funds to expand our program, so that we can give more students and children an educational advantage”. 

In addition to child care services, grant funds may be used to provide before or after school services to the extent necessary to enable low-income students enrolled at the institution of higher education to pursue postsecondary education. It is anticipated that the grant will be for a total of four years.