American Legion Post 20 hosts president of TAPS

Bonnie Carroll, president and founder to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), described her organization's groundbreaking work at the Thursday, March 13, meeting of the National Press Club's American Legion Post 20.

Carroll, who established TAPS in 1994 after the death of her husband Tom in a military plane crash, said that only those who have suffered the loss of loved ones killed serving the nation can provide the kind of on-going support families often need.

TAPS has 80 staffers plus some 7,000 volunteers in 23 states. Many of them lost a family member serving in the military or State Department or with federal support contractors. Long-term assistance includes helping children of the deceased get financial support to attend college.

Speaker portions of Post 20 meetings are open to all NPC members.