Thursday, February 25, 2016

Mike Hernandez III, The Inexact Science of Giving Away Money, United Way, VIDA

Bill and Melinda Gates
Giving away money can be a full-time job. Ask Bill and Melinda Gates, ramrods of the Bill Gates Foundation, a charity dispersing millions of dollars globally with a formula they themselves only understand.  Perhaps you recall that in 2013, the foundation gave a modest $4,000 donation to United Way of Southern Cameron County.  

With all the legitimate needs in the county, then local chairperson of United Way, Tracy Wickett, used the money for advertising at Tony Martinez' self-glorifying, sort of annual "State of the City" event, where Brownsville's fattest citizens dine at $50 a head or a gazillion per table.  

The fast-talking Wickett explained the head-scratching decision as reported in our blog article three years ago:  "We could have done our own event, but that might have been difficult with $4,000. By piggybacking on the mayor's event, we got more exposure than we could have generated on our own. We were very happy seeing our "All-In" program on the front page of the Brownsville Herald the next day and, of course, the mayor promoting us on stage."


Micheal Albert Hernandez III
Recently, Micheal Albert Hernandez III, formerly of Brownsville, but now residing in Colleyville, Texas near his luxury auto dealership, has received some criticism for his proposed charitable donations to bring Brownsville out of poverty by 2033.  We published the promises and platitudes from his group's OP 10.33 Facebook page in our January 5, 2016 article as well as listing Mike's promised monies for local needs including $2 million for United Brownsville, $1 million for BISD and Guadelupe Middle School.

Our article hinted that BISD's glaring need was not money, but competence.  Their current $550 million annual budget is sufficient to educate Brownsville's young with any kind of reasonable skill set.    As for United Brownsville, does Mike even realize this self-anointed, unelected bunch want to get their paws on development riches at the Port of Brownsville and the FM 550 industrial corridor? The much praised Guadelupe Middle School, likely Mayor Martinez favorite charity, seems to be a worthy recipient.

After our initial article on OP 10.33, we received this email:

Jim,


If you want the truth behind OP, come to the sourceI am Director of Communications for OP1033. Lets talk.

Roger Lee

After agreeing to "talk," I was simply redirected to the group's Facebook page that I had essentially already quoted in its entirety in my article. So much for communication.


Speaking of charities and testimonials, a young man spoke at last week's Valley Interfaith Candidate Accountability Session, mentioning how VIDA was helping him progress educationally toward a job that would eventually pay him $40,000 a year, but also how lucky he was to live in the "city limits of Brownsville."

The phrasing in the testimonial made sense later in the program when Father Kevin Collins, co-chair of the VIF event, called our attention to the fact that the young man lived within the "city limits of Brownsville," while highlighting one of the group's "yes or no?" demands of local politicians; "Commit to $350,000 annually to extend the VIDA program beyond Brownsville to the rest of Cameron County."

I've no doubt of the honesty or sincerity of the young man testifying on behalf of VIDA, but can't help but notice the engineering of the testimonial, the coaching to coordinate it with further funding opportunities for the group.  

9 comments:

  1. You are so correct in your report. VIDA's MO or modus operandi is to hit every city or EDC in the Rio Grande Valley. They already collect funds from all of Cameron County, not just the city of Brownsville.

    Every summer HUD allots out CDBG (Community Development Block Grants)grant money to the cities that qualify. Each city must publish a public notice on the local newspaper announcing that grant money is available to non-profits.

    VIDA hits each of these city meetings to ask for grant money. Their MO is to have all these students witness to each organization how they were helped by VIDA. Each student basically saying the same scripted story about their life.

    Fortunately, in my city VIDA was told to take a hike. We don't need VIDA to help out our local people in need. We could do it ourselves.

    Go to this web site and use the EIN number 742768931 to view their IRS FORM 990's.

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  2. Idiot citizens (legal and illegal )of Brownsville fall for everything. If I was not such a nice guy, I would take what little money you have left.

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  3. As much as I believe bloggers are pseudo-journalists at best, I don't think it speaks well that the organization blows off people's inquiries. This, coupled with the fact that he is associated with Carlos Marin, who has no interest in changing the status quo. OP is laboring under the notion that a top-down astroturf campaign will work. If it's goal is to elect real gamechangers and put an end to the corruption it is failing miserably. If it's cheerleading the interests of a certain clique then OP is actually working.


    Bob

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  4. Bloggers here are like "security" guards, unarmed and a joke.

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    Replies
    1. “He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a blogging career.”

      ― Anonymous

      Delete
    2. @Anonymous February 26, 2016 at 7:24 AM

      You can't handle THE TRUTH.

      Delete
  5. VIDA is a bunch of liars and thieves...sort of like the Catholic Church!

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  6. They should donate to the Sheriff's Dept. Employees are paid low and when a raise is given they claim to spread it according to the years of service. the truth is that they choose and pick who they give more to..

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