PEER MENTORS

Peer Mentors are survivors helping survivors. Peer mentors give their time, listen with an open heart and are there for another person during their grief journey.

Requirements: Survivor of a military loss; at least 18 months beyond the death of your loved one; emotionally ready to help another survivor; completion of a TAPS' Peer Mentor training

GOOD GRIEF CAMP MENTORS

Each GGC Mentor serves as a “Big Brother” or “Big Sister” to a child who has lost a parent, guardian or other loved one in military service. They help young survivors learn how our nation honors those who have served and sacrificed and companion these children during their grief journey.

Requirements: Active duty military member; willingness to continue the mentor role throughout the year for the child’s birthday, special events, or holidays; submit to a background check; at least 20 years old (exceptions to age requirement for military personnel and teen survivors are considered)

If interested, please register for an upcoming Good Grief Camp Event. Once registered, you will also be required to attend a Good Grief Camp Mentor training session the day prior the camp. TAPS also provides an optional online Good Grief Camp training course. This course reinforces but does not replace the required in-house training.

RETREAT HOST

The TAPS Retreats are designed to promote a time for peer connection, and personal challenge as well as fun. Retreat hosts supplement TAPS staff as a volunteer, making sure retreat participants are enjoying and experiencing the retreat.

Requirements: Military Survivor; preferrably a trained TAPS Peer Mentor.

CFC TAPS AMBASSADORS

TAPS is a participant of the Combined Federal Campaign Program which allows federal employees and military personnel to donate to a number of charities via their workplace. CFC TAPS Ambassadors represent TAPS at local area CFC fairs, charity fairs and other community events, sharing the TAPS story with others.

Requirements: Well-spoken; neat appearance; comfortable speaking to others  

RUN AND REMEMBER TEAM MEMBER

TAPS participates in a number of marathons, half-marathons, 10K races and runs across the country. You don’t have to be an athlete; you don’t even have to run. Many of our Run and Remember team members actually walk the event. Running and walking not your idea of fun? That’s okay. Help support the Run and Remember team by cheering us on! Make a cool sign – or use one of ours – and find a place on the sidelines, then wave, hoot and holler when our runners come by. Every great team needs cheerleaders! See also: Run and Remember Team page.

Requirements: The desire to honor a fallen hero

EVENT SUPPORT

Every year TAPS holds a number of events across the country to benefit the survivors of our nation’s fallen heroes. With more than 50 such events planned this year, we will need the support of many volunteers. There are a variety of different volunteer jobs available depending on the event. Just a few of the ways volunteers support TAPS events are:

• Event set-up and tear-down
• Welcome/Registration desk help
• Assisting at our TAPS store
• Transportation assistance (subway guides, bus companions, etc.)
• Counseling (licensed or certified practitioners or clergy)
• Meeting room monitors

While we have TAPS survivors in almost every community across the country, it’s not possible to have staff in every city or town. Local businesses are often willing to support programs that benefit the members of their communities, but it’s difficult for us to reach out to those businesses if we’re not there. Community Delegates help TAPS with that outreach. We provide the paperwork and information, our Community Delegates hand deliver them and help spread the TAPS message.

Requirements: neat appearance; transportation to businesses in your community; willingness to spread the TAPS message

We can always use an extra set of hands at our office. Whether helping prepare Resource Kits for survivors, answering the phones or assisting with special projects, there is always much to do! If you have special skills you’d like to put to good use, talk to us about ways you can help. We’d love to have you!

Requirements: vary, but include: proximity to a TAPS office, commitment to work onsite minimum of two hours per week.

More Information coming soon.

With so many of us interacting with one another via social networks, this is a great new way to help TAPS. Our Social Media Buddies promote our mission by letting their friends and family know about TAPS via their Facebook pages, Twitter accounts or any other form of social media they use. They might choose to post a status about TAPS on their page or to show their support to survivors by commenting on ours. Twitter fans can re-tweet TAPS’ tweets, or write their own. Either way, Social Media Buddies play a crucial role in bringing awareness to our mission. It’s all about spreading the word!

Requirements: computer savvy, knowledge of Facebook, Twitter or other social network sites