Young Adult Gold Star Children in NYC for Experiential Learning Tour
Program Extends Support and Career Training for Legacy Mentors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 8, 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is bringing a group of young adult military loss survivors to New York City for an experiential learning program designed to help fill the gap created when a loved one is no longer present to help guide their child’s future.
Through a grant provided by the National Football League (NFL), TAPS will hold its second TAPS Legacy Mentor New York Experience, from April 10-14, 2019. The tour is for Legacy Mentors — young adult Gold Star children, who after having lost a loved one in military service, attended the TAPS Good Grief Camp Program where they had the support of a military mentor. Now, as young adults, they’ve trained to become “Legacy Mentors” to mentor newly bereaved Gold Star children.
TAPS and the NFL are working together as part of the NFL’s Salute to Service, which provides resources and funds for initiatives that positively impact active duty and veteran military members and their families.
“TAPS continues to deepen their efforts to empower those who have lost a loved one serving in our Armed Forces,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility. “We are honored to support TAPS’ efforts to provide this unique opportunity to the Legacy Mentors as they seek to use their own experience to help those in need.”
As part of this program, TAPS Legacy Mentors will have the opportunity to travel throughout New York City to meet industry leaders in a variety of professions. Most Legacy Mentors are college students who first became involved with TAPS after attending Good Grief Camps, which the organization holds across the country.
“Our Legacy Mentors are extraordinary young adults who have sacrificed so much for our country and it is inspirational that they have chosen to give back to grieving military children in a way only they can,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder and 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. “As TAPS Legacy Mentors, they are the living legacies of American service and sacrifice, and they honor their parent’s life by turning their grief into compassion for others. They are wonderful examples of resilience who will go on to do great things for our country.”
On Wednesday, April 10, the Legacy Mentors will meet with Macy’s executives to learn about the retail industry. They will also be paired with personal stylists to learn how to transition their personal style into business attire as well as be outfitted for future job interviews and events scheduled for later in the week.
“Macy’s has a long, proud history of giving back to the communities where we live and work. It is an honor to outfit the Legacy Mentors,” said Sam Harrison, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Giving & Volunteerism at Macy’s. “We believe that style is key to feeling confident in the workplace and want to make sure the Legacy Mentors put their best foot forward as they go on to achieve impressive accomplishments.”
On Thursday, the Legacy Mentors will be part of the studio audience at ABC’s Good Morning America. At GMA’s Times Square studio, they’ll meet with production staff, anchors and reporters to learn what goes into creating a daily news and entertainment broadcast. The group will then visit the New York Life Foundation to learn about the insurance industry from company executives, participate in a panel discussion and attend a resume-building session. That evening, they have been invited to Broadway to see the popular play, Come From Away.
On Friday, the group will be briefed by finance executives at the New York Stock Exchange and tour the trading floor at the opening bell. From Wall Street, they will travel to NFL Headquarters to meet with leaders and personnel from various departments to discuss career opportunities that parallel their personal interests. The group also plans to visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum with John Feal from the FealGood Foundation and the 9/11 Memorial Survivor Tree.
The Legacy Mentors’ trip will end on Saturday, April 13, with a tour of Liberty and Ellis Islands, and visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum.
The Legacy Mentors will be joined by two recipients of the Diana Legacy Award, a recognition of young people around the world for their social action or humanitarian work. The award is named in honor of Diana, Princess of Wales.
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:
- Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder
- TAPS Legacy Mentors
- Kimberly Taylor, TAPS Senior Project Manager, Youth Programs and surviving fiancée of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Rath
- Renee Monczynski, TAPS Young Adult Coordinator and surviving spouse of U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Steven Monczynski
- Diana Wright, Ph.D. Candidate, MAOL, Director, TAPS Youth and Young Adult Programs
- Diana Roday Hosford, TAPS Vice President, Sports & Entertainment
MEDIA REQUESTS:
Please contact Rita Barry-Corke, TAPS Vice President of Media Relations at rita@taps.org or via mobile phone at 860-304-1807 to arrange interviews with TAPS staff or program participants during any part of the Legacy Mentor New York tour.
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ABOUT TAPS
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is the leading national organization providing compassionate care and survivor support services for the families of America’s fallen military heroes. Since 1994, TAPS has offered support to more than 85,000 survivors of fallen military in the form of 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).