Last month, the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) announced they would provide $151,000 in higher education scholarship funds for students that live in affordable housing communities in Texas.
“TAAHP’s scholarship program was created to help some of the most vulnerable students in the state pursue a higher level of education as a pathway to self-sustainability and success,” according to a press release sent on August 18th.
To date, the organization has provided over $450,000 in scholarship funds to Texas students seeking higher education.
TAAHP, a non-profit trade association founded in 1997, represents the interests of affordable housing providers in Texas. Their goal, according to the website, “is to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing for Texans with limited incomes and special needs.” They are considered by some as the “Voice of Affordable Housing in Texas,” and their mission is to be “the primary advocate and leading resource for the affordable housing industry in Texas.”
In 2024, the organization experienced a record for the number of students applying for their scholarship programs.
“The TAAHP Foundation is forging full speed ahead in its efforts to help more students live in affordable housing who are seeking higher education,” said Executive Director Roger Arriaga. “We are so grateful to everyone who has donated to make this scholarship possible and are excited to see these students work to lift themselves up to become better versions of themselves.”
The program says that applicants are considered based on their grade point average (GPA), writing skills, extracurricular activities, recommendations from educators and mentors, and other distinguishing factors such as the school, family responsibilities, career goals, and workload.
This year, 37 students were awarded scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $10,000.
One of the recipients from Waco, Oscar Torres said, “when I first saw that I got that scholarship, I was just so excited. I think it’s just a relief off of your shoulders. Being able to say I’m having the opportunity to go to school, I am just grateful to TAAHP for the opportunity.”
President of the Board, Nathan Williams said that, “it is extremely rewarding to see so many students benefiting from TAAHP Foundation scholarship. Their stories are an inspiration to all of us and a reminder of why what we do is so important.”
