Trinity County Veteran Services

09/03/2026

**Housing For Texas Heroes Grant Information**

We are now taking applications for this grant. This is a new and very exciting opportunity for our veteran community.

Please do not think that this is some far away hard to reach program. It is not. The eligibility requirements are listed in the photo below. If you still have questions, feel free to send an email to [email protected].

As this grant season is picking up and word spreads about this office, the phone line is getting busier and the voicemail box fuller. I sincerely apologize. If you have questions related to this grant, please send them to the email above and they will be answered. That will be the most efficient method of contact.

As for this grant, the funds are limited so apply while we still have them! I cannot wait to see what we do with this new opportunity!

08/27/2026

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Trinity County is hiring a clerk to assist the Trinity County Veterans Service Officer with the management of the Financial Assistance Grant. Please visit the link for additional details. The posting is listed under the County Judge tab.
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https://www.co.trinity.tx.us/page/trinity.Jobs.Openings

08/24/2026

‼ ‼ NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS ‼ ‼

Please book appointments online at https://www.co.trinity.tx.us/page/trinity.Veterans

or via email at [email protected]

Veteran community of Trinity County, as we approach September 1, I will begin taking applications for the FY27 Financial Assistance Grant as well as the Housing for Texas Heroes Grant.

This posting is specifically for the Financial Assistance Grant as it will be available first.

As a reminder, this is our county's 3rd year to receive this grant. Every year we refine our program a little bit more so that we serve our veterans better in and the most ethical and professional manner. With that in mind, there will be some changes going forward.

Services we will now provide through this grant:

🍇Grocery Services- Now including pick-up at Wal-Mart

💡Utility Payments

🚌Transportation- Rides (we are still lining out the finer details on this benefit, but it is my hope that we can finally get some form of transportation to our rural area)

⛽Transportation- Primary Vehicle *fuel and emergency repairs

💕Funeral assistance

🦷Restorative Dental Care

** As with the previous grant, there are limitations and stipulations to these benefits. All are encouraged to apply but eligibility is not simply based on veteran or spousal status.

** Also, in order to continue to receive assistance during this grant cycle, a BENEFICIARY must maintain contact with the VCSO. Initial meetings will be conducted in office. Monthly contact must be made by telephone- text message is no longer sufficient.

** Bills must be submitted via email, in office, or submitted into one of the designated drop boxes. If it is a copy of a bill, it must be complete and legible. If it is not, it cannot be submitted for payment.

08/19/2026

‼‼CANCELLED‼‼

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🗓 Come be a part of something really special this September 5 from 10am - 5 pm on the square in Groveton, Tx!

📌 Please see each photo for additional information

08/10/2026

‼DEADLINE IS FRIDAY‼

I can think of so many Texas veterans deserving of such a high honor and I bet you can too.

If you feel so inclined, fill out this form and recognize one of them! If you do not have access to a printer, I will have forms available in my office and would be happy to make copies of the required documentation.

The pdf can be found at the following link:
(Past recipients can also be viewed on this page)
https://sessions.house.gov/congressional-veteran-commendation

If you would like to check the district of residence of the veteran you have in mind, you can do so at:
https://www.house.gov/

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

Last week I had the honor of attending the Big Check Ceremony hosted by the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) in Lufkin, Tx to receive our ceremonial check which represents the $289,000 awarded to our county by the Texas Veterans Commission.

Pictured (L-R): Cheryl Griffin, Stephanie Gaddy, Mikala Peters, and Shawn Deabay

We are grateful to have been joined by Mrs. Griffin who is the wife of one of our Trinity Co. veterans and a recipient of assistance from the FY26 Financial Assistance Grant previously awarded to Trinity County by TVC. It is truly an honor to know and serve her and her husband.

Stephanie Gaddy is the Trinity County Grant Officer. If you did not know, Trinity County has a designated office/ individual who is tasked with seeking out and managing grants for our county. Stephanie took over these duties this year and has been instrumental in managing and coordinating all the grants awarded to the county. I am so grateful that she also chose to attend the ceremony and proudly represent our veterans.

Mikala Peters (myself) is the Veterans Service Officer for Trinity County. It has been one of my greatest honors to serve the military and veteran community of Trinity County. I am grateful that all in attendance allowed me to fumble through my address, struggle to form coherent sentences, share a bit about myself, and discuss the many ways that grants like the two we received for FY27 are incredibly useful for bettering the lives of our veterans and their families.

Shawn Deabay is the Deputy Executive Director for the Texas Veterans Commission. Not only is he a veteran himself, but he has also been serving veterans for over 25 years, 20 of those as a part of TVC. We are thankful for his military service and continued service to the military and veteran community of Texas.

As we approach September, please watch this page for further details regarding the two grants awarded to Trinity County- Financial Assistance and Housing for Texas Heroes.

Also, please follow the TVC and DETCOG pages where you can find a ton of useful information regarding programs and assistance available to ETX veterans.

TVC webpage
https://tvc.texas.gov/

DETCOG webpage
https://www.detcog.gov/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTmxCRwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMThYWkZ6NTZad09HdWlkQk5zcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEefzDxcW8lETnqd4UOGUhTRbbmgiFEHULZiIi869qbbPq8xgKysDwUPTwtRSM_aem_FRD8WUmpVmudYv1D2wR71g

08/05/2026

If you are a Veteran and are blind or low-vision, this event was tailored for you!

We have partnered with the East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind Inc and the Blinded Veterans Association to offer Meta Glasses and training FREE of charge to blind and low-vision Veterans! 👓✨

"For fifty years, this organization has existed to help blind East Texans live on their own terms," Says Alicia Lansford, Chief Mission Officer of East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind. "The tools change — braille, canes, screen readers, and now AI glasses — but the mission does not. Empowering people with vision loss to do for themselves what they used to need help doing is the most meaningful work we know, and we are proud these veterans are getting that chance close to home."

Veterans will not simply be handed a box. Each participant is scheduled for an individual appointment with an assistive technology specialist who will set up the glasses, pair them to the veteran's phone, and walk through the features at the Veteran's own pace. Participants are also invited to tour the Lighthouse's training facilities and learn about year-round services including education, employment support, and independent living training.

Wondering if you qualify or want to RSVP? Just give us a call at 903-593-3111, and we'll guide you through! You must qualify and RSVP, as glasses and training are limited.

Event Details
Date: August 20, 2026
Location: East Texas Lighthouse, 411 West Front St, Tyler, TX
Time: 9AM - 4PM

For more info, visit: https://easttexaslighthouse.org/meta-glasses-for-blind-veterans/

Know someone who might benefit? Please share!