Bay area Veteran gifted new car to help her family commute

TAMPA, Fla. — Life just got a little easier for one bay area veteran and her family. Army veteran, Shanique Wright, has always been up for the challenge.

“I enlisted in 2008 when I was in high school. I joined the army national guard. I stayed in for six years active and two years inactive,” Wright explained.

But her battles didn’t end after leaving the military.

“We started off with two vehicles… I mean, the vehicle was almost 20 years old, it gave out on me, and it was more money to fix it,” she added.

With two working parents getting around is challenging for Wright and her family.

“He works in Tampa, the Tampa VA hospital, and then my son, you know, he goes to school and has doctor’s appointments. I have doctor’s appointments at the VA,” Wright added.

But now, thanks to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit serving military and veteran families, and its partnerships, Wright no longer has to worry about how she’ll get to those appointments.

“It just helps alleviate that burden for them so that they don’t have so much to worry about. And it’s an opportunity for us to celebrate their service and show our gratitude for what they’ve done for our country,” Beth McGregor, with Operation Homefront, said.

Wright said being gifted a new car is a thank you she never expected.

“When I signed the dotted line, I knew what I was signing up for. I wasn’t signing up for a thank you. I signed up to serve and to protect. So just getting this is a shock. It’s a blessing. I’m very happy for all the programs out there helping the veterans this is really awesome,” Wright explained.