Brownsville Residents Prepare for a "Buena Vida" With Opening of City's New EnVision Center

Unabyrd Wadhams, FPM EnVision Center Program Manager, holds the designation certificate she presented to Brownsville city and housing authority officials at the Buena Vida Choice EC Opening. She was joined by Region VI DRA Leslie Bradley, to her left. The Brownsville EC is the fourth in Texas and the fifth in Region VI.

Residents of Brownsville, Texas, can find help in reaching their life goals with the recent dedication of the Buena Vida Choice Neighborhood EnVision Center in February.

Brownsville was the third city in Texas at the time of the opening to receive an EnVision Center designation. EnVision Centers are part of HUD Secretary Carson's initiative to offer a more holistic housing approach by connecting HUD-assisted and low-income families with the tools that can lead to self sufficiency. The principle partners for the Brownsville EC are the Housing Authority of the City of Brownsville (HACB), the City of Brownsville and the Revival of Cultural Arts Center.

EnVision Center Program Manager Unabyrd Wadhams came from Washington, D.C., to present the official designation certificate. "Secretary Carson believes that public-private partnerships are the way we as a country can lead low-income families to life success," she said. "EnVision Centers are the perfect example of that partnership, and Mayor Martinez and the city, HACB and the Cultural Arts Center are to be commended for both their foresight and their hard work in making today's opening a reality."

The Buena Vida Choice Neighborhood EC will provide a wide range of programs to area residents, including youth leadership and internship programs; ESL, STEM and financial literacy classes; health classes; Family Self Sufficiency counseling; and small business development.

With the addition of the Arlington EC in March, Region VI now has a total of five ECs: Brownsville, Arlington, Fort Worth, San Antonio and the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma.

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