After having surpassed prior years’ goals for our annual fundraising campaign, Bringing Hope Home, we are excited to bring you a progress report! We set this year’s goal to $300,000 and are happy to report that we’re on track to surpass this goal! As a result of the support of generous people and businesses, TAP has continued to lessen the burden of poverty in southwest Virginia.
Fire is the Test of Gold
With the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, TAP worked to provide the same services we’re known for, as well as short-term crisis support. Now that the public health emergency has ended, we’ve shifted our focus to helping people rebuild their lives and communities. By providing job training, small business support, and more, TAP is strengthening the communities where we work.
You Mean the World to Us
Without your gifts, we couldn’t have met the needs of thousands of families in the region this year. Look for more details in our coming annual report about the impact you helped bring about. In the meantime, know that your support has truly been a blessing.
Thank you to all who have donated money or time to TAP over the past year. Bringing Hope Home provides funds that can be drawn on by TAP to support any of our programs, as needed. Because of your help, we can continue to sustain and create new pathways for low-income people in our community to build stable, full lives.
Djuan Hankins is passionate about helping youth athletes. He’s been coaching girls’ and boys’ basketball for 19 years and been the head JV girls coach at William Fleming for the last six. This experience made him a natural choice to spearhead TAP’s Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) and girl-focused Athletes as Leaders (AAL) programs as our youth services specialist. Both programs help coaches and other community members learn to empower youth to stand up for respect, integrity, and non-violence.
In 2020, two TAP staff members and a representative from Roanoke City Police Department flew out to California to receive training and certification in these evidence-based programs. Progress was slowed due to the pandemic and customizing content and training for local needs, but the local roll-out began in earnest this year. Our community is now the only one in Virginia offering these programs.
Train the Trainer
This “train the trainer” initiative focuses on reaching youth by training community advocates. Anyone who works with youth—coaches, probation officers, police, social workers, counselors, and more—is a good candidate for this training. Djuan has condensed the curriculum into a single 3-hour training session.
Once trained, advocates are ready to implement the program with the youth they work with. The curriculum is designed for 12 weeks, but flexible. Program materials are scripted, making them easy to put into action. They focus on behaviors, discipline, and how youth carry themselves outside a team setting. Coaches and other youth advocates present weekly material in 15-minute chunks, then discuss the topic with players. “As coaches we already have those conversations, but this helps you go a little more in depth and know what topics to bring up,” says Djuan.
The Main Goal: Reduce Youth Violence
The initiative’s overall goal is to reduce violence. Many kids witness violence in their homes and communities. CBIM and AAL help students recognize disrespectful or dangerous behavior and intervene safely. It also teaches leadership skills, respect for others, and gender and racial equality. These are talks most participants aren’t having at home.
“The program is pretty much set up to be catered for sports teams,” says Djuan. “They’re the pillars and leaders in the school. If we can reach the athletes and reach their mindsets, they can carry it out through the school. But we have opened it up to all young men and women. Studies have shown that students who have participated in the program are most likely to intervene in abusive behaviors. Kids think that abusive behavior is normal behavior because they see it so much.”
Getting Results
Seventeen youth advocates have already completed local certification training. William Fleming and Patrick Henry High School cheerleaders, Patrick Henry wrestlers, and students from Fishwick Middle School have participated. Athletes complete pre- and post-season assessments that measure mindset, behavioral, and communication changes. The program is already proving to effect positive change in the kids and families it touches.
This year’s goal is to certify 20 advocates. Training is free, and so is the program. Djuan is looking for coaches, police officers, and others who work as youth advocates in the community. Plans are for training to be offered every quarter.
Learn More
For more information on this FREE certification, please contact djuan.hankins@nulltapintohope.org.
Carilion’s Support for TAP
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Carilion doesn’t just provide healthcare for those in southwest Virginia. They also invest in the health and vitality of their community. Carilion has been a sponsor of TAP’s Bringing Hope Home campaign for the past three years. They provide much-needed support to our efforts to bring hope to the community. Carilion’s support for TAP has allowed us to continue providing help to those in need.
Carilion’s Support for TAP Goes Further
Carilion has gone beyond providing financial support in the past. They have demonstrated their commitment to supporting TAP. In the past Carilion has been a partner in our adult education and employment services. This partnership formed through our Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training program. Carilion worked with us to provide a pathway to a career in healthcare. Carilion’s support helped make this program accessible. Many people who faced barriers to employment were able to complete it. They now have stable and rewarding healthcare careers. Carilion’s support for TAP has helped give them a path to a brighter future.
They Believe in Our Community
By investing in the community Carilion is helping to create a stronger community. They are helping to make a more robust community. Through support for TAP’s initiatives Carilion has shown their commitment to this community. Their efforts are making a significant difference in the lives of people in the Roanoke Valley. They are bringing hope and support to those who need it the most. Local partners like Carilion are critical. They make our efforts to create a better future for all possible. By investing in the community in this way, Carilion is making a significant contribution to the region’s growth and development. According to Nancy Agee, Carilion’s CEO, “We are pleased to join with agencies like TAP whose goals and values are aligned with our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve.” They are setting an example for others to follow.
