CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It is the first year Bee County has applied for the grant. The money is now available through the county's Veterans Service Office. Veterans who want to apply must schedule an in-person intake appointment.
Veterans Service Director Sandra Musquez said the funding will help fill a need she sees every day in Bee County, particularly among older veterans living on fixed incomes.
"This is actually our very first year ever going for this grant…" Musquez said.
"We do see a lot of, you know, our community is small, but we have a lot of elderly veterans that are on a steady income, so sometimes it is hard for them to be able to pay for their rent or their mortgage or even just get something like groceries," Musquez said.
The financial assistance can help with everyday struggles, including food, transportation, and keeping a roof over their head.
For Musquez, securing the grant goes beyond her job. She is a veteran herself, as is her husband. Her daughter is currently going through Army basic training. She has also worked closely with many veterans in the community.
"As a veteran myself, my husband, a veteran, and I mean we come from a huge veteran family... It truly was, you know, an honor and such an excitement, again, that I'm going to be able to bring this back to Bee County where it is going to do a lot of good for a lot of our veterans, surviving spouses, and their dependents…" Musquez said.
While the need is significant, Musquez says this first grant is just the beginning. The county plans to apply again next year and possibly pursue even more funding to support local veterans.
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More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
