TAPS AMBASSADOR JEREMY RENNER HELPS THE WORLD NOTICE FAMILIES OF OUR FALLEN MILITARY HEROES
Star of “The Hurt Locker” and “The Bourne Legacy” works to help survivors left behind grieving a military death through TAPS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 9, 2012
WASHINGTON – Families of our fallen military have a champion and supporter in Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner, star of “The Bourne Legacy,” “The Avengers,” and “The Hurt Locker.” As a TAPS ambassador, Renner promotes the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and its work to help thousands of surviving families of our fallen military.
In a poignant video posted on YouTube today, Renner introduces viewers to a group of young military widows impacted by TAPS programs. Through the stories of young widows attending a TAPS retreat in Alaska, viewers learn how TAPS helps those left behind grieving a military death and how these young widows are moving forward in their lives with the help and support of TAPS and others who have experienced a similar loss.
Since its founding in 1994 by a military widow, TAPS has impacted more than 35,000 people, and Renner was drawn to support the organization’s work. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, connections to community based care, grief and trauma resources for families, casualty casework assistance, and a 24/7 resource and information helpline.
Recently Renner hosted military widows attending a TAPS retreat for a special advance screening of "The Bourne Legacy" at Creative Artists Agency in Beverly Hills. Renner also recorded several video messages for TAPS that are posted on the TAPS YouTube channel www.youtube.com/SupportTAPS.
One of the signature programs TAPS provides that caught Renner’s attention is the TAPS Good Grief Camp, which helps children and teens coping with the death of a parent, sibling or other loved one who served in the military. The camp helps children learn coping skills for dealing with their feelings about the death and connects them to others grieving a military loss.
He recorded a special video message for the children attending the TAPS Good Grief Camp. “Your family has served and sacrificed and America is grateful to you. Because of the sacrifices you have made, our nation is free today,” said Renner. “Thanks for coming to the Good Grief Camp, it’s an awesome experience and you’re going to find you are not alone, you have friends who care about you.”
Renner heard about the TAPS Good Grief Camp from his friend and fellow actor, Brian Geraghty. Renner and Geraghty attended the TAPS Gala in 2010, where they introduced Admiral Mike Mullen, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and met many surviving families who benefit from TAPS programs.
In 2009, Renner headlined a screening TAPS hosted for “The Hurt Locker” and talked about the connection he felt to the military. “It was really, really important for me to portray men who to me are heroes,” Renner said, “And how tragic it is that no one knows who they are. I hope I could capture a fraction of what is real.”
Renner has been nominated twice for Academy Awards, with nominations for his work as a leading actor in 2008 in “The Hurt Locker” and his supporting role in 2010 in “The Town.” He appears in “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,” “The Bourne Legacy,” “The Avengers,” and many other films.
ABOUT TAPS
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the national organization providing compassionate care for the families of America’s fallen military heroes. Since its founding in 1994 by a military widow TAPS has helped more than 35,000 surviving family members and caregivers supporting families coping with a military death. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars for adults, camps for children, case work assistance, connections to community-based care, and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been affected by a death in the Armed Forces. Services are provided free of charge. For more information go to www.taps.org or call the toll-free national military helpline at 800.959.TAPS (8277).
Media contact for TAPS: Ami Neiberger-Miller, 202.588.8277, ami@taps.org
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