Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Davenport to be Named TAPS 2017 Mentor of the Year
Award Recognizes Outstanding Support for the Children of America's Fallen Heroes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 22, 2017
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) will present its 2017 Military Youth Mentor of the Year Award to Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Davenport at the annual TAPS Honor GuardLuncheon on April 12 at the Army and Navy Club in Washington. The award recognizes his outstanding volunteer service on behalf of the surviving children of fallen members of the Armed Forces.
Davenport was born in Vallejo, Calif., and joined the Army in October 2002. He is currently assigned as Vice Presidential Radio Lead at the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) in Washington.
“As a military mentor with TAPS, Daniel has touched the lives of so many children who have lost a loved one serving our country,” said Bonnie Carroll, president and founder of TAPS. “His is a role model for our grieving children and he provides an important connection to remind them that they are not alone.”
Davenport began serving as a TAPS mentor in 2013 after returning from a deployment in Afghanistan. That year, he volunteered at the National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp, held in Washington each Memorial Day weekend. He has supported grieving military children at every TAPS National Good Grief Camp since and has volunteered at other TAPS events including cheering on Gold Star families running in honor of their fallen heroes in the Marine Corps Marathon and Army Ten Miler, supporting TAPS children attending the 2017 NFL Pro Bowl, and raising funds for TAPS by selling Courage Caps at the Washington Capitals hockey games.
“It’s important to me that the kids have their voices heard, not just during the Good Grief Camps but every day,” said Davenport, who checks in on the kids he mentors throughout the year. “The best part of working with TAPS is the kids; every day, I know what I do matters to them. But the interesting thing about volunteering with TAPS is that you get back everything you give, plus more.”
The annual TAPS Honor Guard Luncheon is followed by the TAPS Honor Guard Gala, to be held later on the same day at the National Building Museum. Funds raised through the Gala will be used to support families of fallen military heroes through programs such as the TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar; National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camps; TAPS Regional Survivor Seminars; and TAPS Retreats for surviving spouses, parents, adult children and siblings.
This year's Title Sponsor is USAA and the Legacy Sponsor is HSBC Bank. Presenting Sponsors include BAE Systems, DynCorp International, Oshkosh Defense, Prudential Financial, Telos Corporation, Health Net Federal Services and United Technologies Corporation.
The evening will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. with the dinner and program to follow at 7 p.m. The National Building Museum is located at 440 G St. NW in Washington, D.C. Sponsorship information is available at www.TAPS.org/Gala or by emailing gala@taps.org.
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Please email media@taps.org or call 202.588.TAPS (8277) to request interviews or additional details about the 2017 TAPS Honor Guard Gala.
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 and has offered support to more than 70,000 surviving family members of our fallen military and their caregivers since 1994. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, grief seminars and retreats for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, case work assistance, connections to community-based care, online and in-person support groups 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 TAPS resource and information helpline at 1.800.959.TAPS (8277).