As some know, war often follows veterans home long after a conflict ends. The co-founder of Burn Pits 360, an organization focused on helping veterans exposed to toxic chemicals, wants to invite the public to their fundraiser to help those vets cope.
“I feel great about it, if anything it helped prolong my life for my family and my kids,” Jared Suarez, a local army veteran.
Suarez said he was exposed to burn pits when he was deployed in Iraq back in 2010, he’s had health problems since then.
“Well with the burn pits, it’s one of those invisible enemies, it does follow you home, I know at the VA they can’t exactly pinpoint what is wrong with my lungs,” Suarez said.
Which is why Suarez turned to Burn Pits 360 for help.
“Through the Burn Pits 360, looking at the veterans and their experiences what they have gone through, and just their symptoms I pretty much checked the boxes with what everyone was saying,” Suarez said.
“It’s a beautiful feeling know that you have changed the lives of warfighters and war heroes who defended our nation,” Rosie Torres, the co-founder of Burn Pits 360 said.
Torres along with her husband Leroy, founded Burn Pits 360.
During Leroy's time while fighting at war, he was exposed to burn pits that left him with severe health issues.
To this day, with their organization they have helped over five million veterans across the country with the pact act bill.
“It’s an honor to know we did that, we are a little non-profit out of Texas, but we accomplished such a monumental change in history,” Torres said.
Burn Pits 360 was able to come up with the funds and donate an oxygen concentratr to Suarez.
“When the machine was provided, I noticed a significant difference in my life for the better,” Suarez said.
Rosie said they are grateful to have helped so many veterans nationwide.
Now they want to focus more on helping more local veterans like Suarez at their local support center.
“Most importantly is our Warrior Support Center, which is here locally in the Coastal Bend, in Robstown Texas,” Torres said. “We serve people from all surrounding areas like Orange Grove, Banquete, Robstown, and Corpus Christi.
Torres said to help more local veterans, the organization needs funds to be able to serve more veterans in our community.
Such as having someone working full-time at the Warrior Support Center.
“Veterans have communicated to us how much they appreciate the fact that there is a home away from home for them where they can go and get a haircut and pick up lunch and get a coffee,” Torres said.
To help those local veterans, Torres said she is encouraging the community to participate in their upcoming bingo fundraiser where they will be giving luxury bags and more.
All funds collected will go towards helping these veterans in our community.
“Do not lose hope, don’t be afraid to ask for help, do not be afraid to seek advice, to search, even if you hit a roadblock there is always someone who is willing to help,” Suarez said.
The bingo fundraiser is scheduled for July 14th at the Bay Jewel in Corpus Christi, for more information click here.
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