$9M delivered to Collier County for veterans community center

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Collier County veterans are one step closer to a new community center after receiving $9 million in federal funding to support the project.

Dozens of veterans gathered at VFW Post 7721 to celebrate the hand-delivery of the federal check by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. The new center will serve as a one-stop shop for veterans by providing access to a community network for food, health care, legal, housing and other services.

"Collier County prides itself as being the most veteran-friendly place in the entire country, but that requires more than just words," said Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26).

Diaz-Balart said this funding was a team effort and a priority.

"This has been years in the making, planning, hard work," said Diaz-Balart. "Think of it as a one-stop center for veteran services."

VFW Post 7721 Commander Mike Ricci said veterans aren't always provided government assistance for certain needs.

"It's going to help us provide services for veterans that the federal government and the state government doesn't provide," said Ricci. "For instance, TVs, they don't get them. Entertainment, they don't have it. We can provide all of that now, and it's great that they're right down the road."

Veteran David Ramos said the center will fill a critical need.

"I feel that these veterans that are out there... they need this," said Ramos.

While the funding is a team effort, the support stems from other veterans. Ricci said the mission is clear.

"It's veterans helping veterans," said Ricci. "We want to see the suicide rate go down to disappear, and this will help that."

The center will be built near the former Golden Gate Golf Course and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2030.