- Nueces County Veterans Services received the keys to a brand new 2024 Toyota Tundra on Friday.
- Community groups have donated money to make this gift possible.
- The truck is used for the department’s public relations work.
There are approximately 24,700 registered veterans in Nueces County. The Nueces County Veterans Services Office assists approximately 60 veterans daily, so a large donation to the department was a meaningful occasion.
On Friday, Nueces County Veterans Service received the keys to a brand new 2024 Toyota Tundra.
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JJ De La Cerda, Nueces County’s veterans services officer, said, “I’ve been working for the county for five years now, and this is the first time in the history of our department that it actually has a vehicle. I believe it’s been this way since the 1800s.”
A 2024 Toyota Tundra could cost between $45,000 and $65,000. The benefit to the department is the result of the generosity of the community. De La Cerda said former Nueces County Commissioner Betty Jean Longoria led the effort to fund the truck. The Mike Shaw Toyota Foundation, the Port of Corpus Christi, the Duty and Honor Foundation and an anonymous donor contributed funds to support veterans services.
“It’s a noble cause. We’re here to honor and take care of our veterans, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do with this truck,” De La Cerda said.
The vehicle can now be used to replenish veterans’ supplies and to operate and maintain the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery.
“When veterans are homeless on the streets, we try to go there and help them. In the same way, we go and visit a veteran who is homebound and needs to apply for assistance,” added De La Cerda.
More stories from Veterans In Focus are available here, together with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at [email protected]
