SAN ANTONIO – Alamo Colleges today announced that as part of its work to advance economic mobility and create positive change, Bank of America recently awarded them a $50,000 grant to support students enrolled in the City of San Antonio’s Train for Jobs SA continuing education initiatives. Grant funds will help to bridge the digital divide through the purchase of laptops and industry specific technology and equipment, for up to 85 participants in Alamo Colleges’ IT/cybersecurity and healthcare certificate programs. Train for Jobs SA is putting workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic back to work in high-demand fields. Grant funds will further empower participants to persist and complete their programs where lack of technology would otherwise have been a barrier to completion.

“On behalf of students who benefit the most, we thank Bank of America for its vision and generosity in helping to boost economic and social mobility for residents in our community,” said Alamo Colleges Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores.

Locally, Bank of America has announced its support of 15 San Antonio-area nonprofits, helping to further their efforts to deliver essential and basic services to the most vulnerable, including education, essential healthcare, workforce and leadership development, homelessness prevention, and food insecurity. 

“We have observed with pride as our nonprofit community across San Antonio continues to go above and beyond throughout the health crisis to help fulfill basic needs and advance economic opportunity,” said Ventura Perez, President, Bank of America San Antonio. “Bank of America is committed to supporting local organizations that are working tirelessly to move our community forward through programs that will put young adults on the path to obtaining long-term career opportunities and improving their financial lives,” she added.  

In 2020, Bank of America committed $25 million to support community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in creating career pathways and job opportunities. At that time, the Alamo Colleges received $50,000 to support students in St. Philip’s College (SPC) Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training program. SPC, which is both an HBCU and HSI, was one of eight public and private higher education institutions in Texas who received grants to develop and enhance programs that help close specific skills gaps in the community and create higher-paying, family-sustaining jobs that are in demand. Funding was used to provide tuition assistance for 20 students from a community disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus, including Jason Usvat, who said, “I am still in training and finishing up, but I had been unemployed for four months before starting class. Without the Bank of America grant I would not have been able to attend the training. I have a family to support and this gives me hope for our future.”