At Flags of Valor, our mission is to remember, employ, and empower our heroes. Our long term involvement with TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) focuses on remembering.
What is TAPS?
TAPS is an organization that offers compassionate care to survivors of a military loss. Their mission is to assist anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving our country or as a result of their service.
Since 1994, TAPS has helped over 90,000 surviving families, caregivers, and casualty officers.
What does TAPS do?
TAPS offers programs where survivors of military loss can come together and grieve, share, learn, and grow as they learn to navigate life without their loved one. These programs include regional and national seminars, weekly care group meetings, youth programs, retreats, and outings to professional sporting events. Many of these programs are offered at little or no cost to the survivor thanks to the generous donations of TAPS supporters.
Oftentimes, survivors report that it is hard to find someone to talk to that will truly understand their grief. TAPS unites survivors, even hosting specialized sessions for different type of loss during their seminars, and creates a network of people that an individual can turn to when they are struggling. After finding TAPS, many survivors feel a sense of relief knowing that they aren't alone, and they do not have to travel through their grief alone.
TAPS and Flags of Valor
Flags of Valor has participated in numerous events with TAPS to honor gold star families (surviving families of military service members who died while serving our country). They have done this by recognizing both the sacrifices of the surviving families as well as remembering the service member who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Some of the events Flags of Valor has assisted with have been done in partnership with the NFL. In January, TAPS teamed up with Flags of Valor and the NFL to host military kids and their families in Florida. The event included the opportunity to attend an NFL practice, meet NFL players and other surprise guests, and attend the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl.
Why is TAPS so important to us?
As a business owned and operated by combat veterans, we have seen firsthand the sacrifices that our families have made while we were serving in the military. Gold star families are incredibly important to us because they are the families of our military brothers and sisters. Our comrades who didn't make it home all have family members who now don a gold star in remembrance.
We are so grateful for the sacrifices that allowed us to return home safely. We are also acutely aware that our own family members could have become gold star families if we lost our lives overseas.
Our team at Flags of Valor cannot think of a better way to honor the loss of our military brothers and sisters than to support an organization like TAPS who is taking care of the families they left behind.
What can you do?
At Flags of Valor, we are committed to our decision to never stop giving back. Help us continue our mission! Stop by our shop to purchase something for yourself or pick out a gift for a military survivor that you know. You can also help by donating to one of our great charity partners, like TAPS.
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of our amazing charity initiatives!
