Earlier this year, the city of Uvalde was devastated by the events that took place at Robb Elementary School on May 24. The lives of beloved children and educators were abruptly cut short in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. 

As a tight-knit Uvalde band together to navigate the horrific loss, we knew standing idly by was simply not an option. And so, the outreach began.  

Uvalde is just a short one hour drive from San Antonio, a city in which Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) has one of its biggest offices. Our staff consider Uvalde a friendly neighbor, a familiar rural town and a very important place inside our service area. 

Actually, TRLA employees who doubled as Uvalde residents made the commute into the San Antonio office a few days a week. This presence within the town proved valuable in the week following the shooting.  

Strengthening ties with Uvalde 

TRLA began to deploy all outreach efforts to the community facing unfathomable tragedy. “Uvalde residents felt betrayed by their leaders and protectors and were, understandably, wary of outsiders”, says Bernardette Segura, TRLA attorney, member of our special team dedicated to Uvalde needs. 

In our initial outreach, we found that the TRLA logo on the shirts of our employees was recognizable to Uvalde citizens. Soon after our staff arrived to Uvalde, we discovered there was a need to re-establish a presence within the community and gain their trust. We’ve been building a relationship with towns like Uvalde from over five decades now and continue to grow TRLA across the state. 

Uvalde began to express their needs and pressing issues to TRLA, from social security cases to the failings of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to school district bussing practices. Employees brought these first-hand concerns to Robert Doggett, TRLA’s Executive Director and other staff attorneys on several community tabling sessions. 

As a result, we have made a decision to expand our arms closer to Uvalde. On October 18, a Legal Aid Office will be opening its doors on 200 Evans St, 78801. We are proud to officially merge with the community and serve its members to the fullest, with all of our services available for walk-ins and dedicated hotlines.