Manuel Garza, Giving Back and Doing Good in Brownsville

At age 78, Manuel Garza of Brownsville is a fighter—he supports and fights for issues near and dear to his heart.

Callie Richmond

Nearly 20 years ago, soon after losing his wife to pancreatic cancer, Manuel received a call from AARP while in San Antonio visiting his kids. As a retiree and recent widower, he wanted to do help other people but didn’t know how—or what. The phone call was the answer he needed, and he jumped at the opportunity to be involved.

Manuel has taken a special interest in the current presidential election—and the issues that have been brought up, like Social Security and how it impacts older Americans struggling to make ends meet. He says he can identify, as a retiree receiving Social Security while still paying off his house.

All the same, he thinks the worst part of it all is that he can’t help out more.

A firm believer that there is always more to be done, he continues volunteering with AARP in Brownsville whenever he can—and on local issues too.

“We have worked with the city of Brownsville to make it more livable for all ages by meeting with city officials,” Manuel explains.

Manuel says he’ll continue giving back and fighting to make sure that the people of Brownsville have the necessities to maintain a stable life in the years to come.

“In the future, I plan to stay involved with AARP,” Manuel beams. “If I feel I can do even just a little bit of good, then it’s worth it.”

It's National Volunteer Month, and we're profiling just a handful of our amazing AARP volunteers right here in Texas. Read about more of their terrific work.