By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Texas Community Bank has made two holiday-time donations to local organizations that
assist those in need.
Sylvia Owens, Texas Community Bank regional president for Del Rio, said the bank
donated $5,000 to residents of the Roswell Apartments through Laing’s Furniture and
$5,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Ministries at Sacred Heart Church. The donations were
presented on Thursday.
Owens said the donations are intended to share blessings with those in the community
who need them the most.
“I believe that we’re blessed, and that there’s a need, and we try and focus on those needs
to serve the community,” Owens said after delivering the donations to representatives of
the two organizations.
Guadalupe Galindo, president of the St. Vincent De Paul Ministries at Sacred Heart
Church, told The 830 Times the bank’s donation is appreciated. Galindo said, “The St. Vincent De Paul Ministries helps the less-fortunate in our
community that need help with utilities or pantry items, food.”
She said the organization currently serves about 50 people in the area every month.
Galindo said the bank’s donation will be used by St. Vincent De Paul to help persons
from the local area pay for their utility bills.
“It’s mainly for when we help pay a person’s water bill, electric bill, and sometimes we
help pay for a person’s trips to see a doctor or to buy medication, but mainly it’s
utilities,” she said.
Galindo said the need for this type of assistance is great and exists year-round.
She said St. Vincent De Paul Ministries accepts monetary donations from the community
for its work, adding those donations can be dropped off at the Sacred Heart Church.
Henry Sotelo, property manager for the Roswell Apartments for the City of Del Rio
Housing Authority, was also thankful for the bank’s donation for apartment residents.
He said the donation will be used at Laing’s Furniture Store to provide necessary
furnishings for individuals at the Roswell Apartments.
Sotelo said, “The units that we have (at the Roswell) are not furnished, so this helps us
when we’re able to put people from out on the streets into a warm, cozy unit, and they
can get a frame and a bed, a kitchen table and some chairs, however we can help them.”
“It’s a great contribution that they do every year, and it goes to help people who,
basically, were out on the street, who had nothing,” he added.
Sotelo said there are 50 individuals currently housed at the Roswell Apartments.
Owens said the donations are part of Texas Community Bank’s corporate philosophy of
doing more than just business in the south Texas communities where it operates.
She said the local donations are part of the company’s history of giving and investing in
its communities.
Owens said in October, Texas Community Bank made a $1 million donation for the new
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) of Banking Academy of the TAMIU
A.R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business.
“Texas Community Bank tries to focus on our communities. We want to make a
difference,” Owens said.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
