TAPS Community Resource Reports for Military Survivors

When a family loses a loved one in the Armed Forces, its members can feel isolated and too exhausted to research local support options. TAPS is always there to provide care and support, but we also recognize that sometimes the hugs need to come from closer to home – from friends, neighbors, and members of your local community. To help you connect locally, TAPS offers a Community Resource Report: a directory of grief resources and support groups in your local area. Here at TAPS, we strive to do everything we can to provide you with the best support possible and we are honored to help you connect with others in your community.

The goal of the Community Resource Report is to provide a convenient, no-cost means to access free or reduced-cost bereavement services of high quality in local communities throughout the country. We work closely with partner programs, government agencies, national associations, and fraternal groups to provide a comprehensive directory of resources available in your home town location. From information you provide, we can create a customized listing of groups and resources for you to consider. You are free to review and research these options, and use them only if you choose to do so.

To create a Community Resource Report, we gather as much information as possible specific to your circumstances. When you fill out a request for information, you will be asked a number of questions, including information on your location, your relationship to your loved one, and the circumstances of your loved one’s death. By providing us with this information, you help us to find the best resources for your specific circumstances.

Once we have your request, we research local groups in your area and call them to verify that our information is current. We make sure that the group is still meeting, and we get as much information as we can about the population, focus, and goals of the group. All of this information is included in the description section of your Community Resource Report. If the organization or group has any pertinent brochures or newsletters, these will be included in the report as well.

TAPS works with closely with community based resources, networks of national organizations, partner veterans’ organizations, and government agencies. We research bereavement coordinators at hospices, hospitals, and funeral homes, and grief support group organizers at churches in your area, as these often provide support groups for grieving families. A number of support groups specialize in certain populations, and we do our best to match you up with the groups and resources that will be most beneficial to you. There are nationwide organizations, such as The Compassionate Friends and Bereaved Parents USA, which sponsor support groups all over the country for parents who have lost children. Survivors of Suicide hosts groups comprised solely of individuals who have lost loved ones to suicide. A number of nationwide organizations provide support groups and trauma resources to grieving children.

If you are looking for comfort close to home, check with us to see what resources are available in your community. Requesting a Community Resource Report from TAPS is easy! Call us at 800-959-TAPS (8277) and we will take your request by phone.

By Jessica Duane, MA, NCC