Casa De La Cultura Receives $30,000 Grant from Howmet Aerospace for Learning Center Expansion

The Casa De La Cultura received a generous $30,000 donation from Howmet Aerospace, a key moment marking a collaborative time in supporting local education and culture. Representatives from both organizations gathered to discuss how this grant would impact the community and elevate opportunities for learning.

Alfredo Escobar, a representative from Howmet Aerospace, shared some insight into their motivation behind the donation, saying, "Every year on behalf of our company, our general manager Ken Smith and Gabriel Castillo, our HR senior manager, we have a project that we decide from different options... we decide what is best for that specific year." This year, the decision focused on supporting a learning center at the Casa De La Cultura, a well-known hub for cultural and educational enrichment in the area.

Lupita De La Paz, Executive Director of Casa De La Cultura, shared “We already offer ESL classes. We've offered resume building classes. We've done different workshops with basic computer skills... Now, it's going to take us to another level where we'll be accessible and we can be able to provide for more people.”

De La Paz noted that the space limitations at the center presented unique challenges: “If you come in the evening, we have a class going on in the front room, one in the office, one in the kitchen, one in this back area, and then we still have people working in the clay section. So, we kind of utilize every space that we have in our building.” The grant will help address these challenges by transforming their office and craft room into a fully equipped learning center.

What started as a $15,000 proposal grew into $30,000, thanks to Howmet Aerospace’s confidence in the center’s impact on the community. “They believed in our organization and knew what we were capable of, so they bumped it up to the 30,” De La Paz shared.

Escobar emphasized Howmet Aerospace’s focus on choosing projects that touch various aspects of the community. “We saw all those different programs from the cultural perspective, from the education perspective, and how they were always involved and tried to help the community.”

Looking ahead, De La Paz has ambitious plans. “Our goal is to, in the future, even offer GED classes... So, what is it that people are needing in this area? And my job would be to find that teacher or just give that person that opportunity.”

We congratulate the Casa De La Cultura and thank Howmet Aerospace for their donation to an important staple in Del Rio such as the Casa Da La Cultura!