Jessica Simpson

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Jessica Simpson was in a giving mood Sunday when she donated a brand new minivan to the Mexican orphanage she supports, PEOPLE has learned.

The pop star, 26, drew cheers when she drove through the gates of the Casa Hogar Elim orphanage in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in a white 2007 Chrysler Town & Country and handed the keys to Mama Lupita, who runs the home.

"The kids were cheering when she pulled up," Simpson's rep tells PEOPLE. "They surrounded the car and were so excited to see her. They kept saying, 'Muchas gracias! Muchas gracias!' A few of them spoke English and said, 'We love you, Jessica!' "

Mama Lupita, who speaks little English, was the first to give Simpson a big hug.

"I'm so honored and happy to be able to help," said Simpson, who hugged Mama Lupita and the throng of kids who had waited anxiously to see her and presented her with gifts, including an engraved plaque with a photo of the kids and a beaded necklace they'd made for her.

Simpson laughed when a mariachi band burst onto the scene to serenade her (the kids had saved up to hire the group by selling jewelry they crafted themselves).

"What an amazing surprise!" Simpson said, putting her hand on her heart.

Simpson was there with her mother Tina (who rode in the passenger seat when her daughter drove the minivan onto the orphanage's grounds), her manager father Joe and a few others. Boyfriend John Mayer stayed in L.A.

Last fall, Simpson won a Chrysler Crossfire sports car at a swag suite at the MTV's Video Music Awards, but asked Chrysler to exchange it for a minivan so she could help out the orphanage.

A spokesperson for Chrysler confirmed: "Instead of the Chrysler Crossfire, she decided to get a minivan for the orphanage instead. She went for the Chrysler Town & Country."

The van Mama Lupita had been using for the orphanage broke down last year. She borrowed an old truck from a friend, but that broke down too, leaving her with no transportation for the children.

The seven-passenger minivan even has a DVD player so the kids can watch their favorite movies when Mama Lupita drives them around.
 

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I think that was very nice of her. To me, it doesn't really matter how she got it. It was hers and she donated it (after paying taxes on it, I'm sure). Many people would've just kept the Crossfire.
 
I am not sure why, but it seems (to me) that everything JS does (for charity), is a PR stunt. It's not just her though. There is a whole list of D-celebs that do that as well. It's almost like "Wait a minute. My name wasn't in the tabloids or on ET yesterday. Let's do something to change that!", you know?
 
It's unfortunate that celebrities are unable to do charity work without getting accused of doing it for PR purposes....or without people asking why they couldn't donate more....

She won a car. She gave it to charity. It's a nice gesture. Can't we leave it at that??
 
It's unfortunate that celebrities are unable to do charity work without getting accused of doing it for PR purposes....or without people asking why they couldn't donate more....

She won a car. She gave it to charity. It's a nice gesture. Can't we leave it at that??
I couldn't agree more.
She gave the car and that's the point. She could have kept it but instead she gave it to an orphanage. Why should some still critisize? I think it was a good thing she did. If she diesn't feel to do more that's her decision. Always look on the bright side.
 
It was nice of her to donate the car. The orphanage probably really needed it! Those kids look so happy to see her. In the end, even if it was for PR, the orphanage got what they needed, so it's all good!
 
I love the fact that JS donated the minivan and so many people will benefit from her actions. What matters is that she helped and not the circumstances behind it. I could never say anything poor about what she did...I did nothing for them. Good for her!