TAP is sensitive to the fact that our clients are some of the most vulnerable members of our community, especially when it comes to receiving needed support and access to services. Both the community and our funding sources are aware of the value of what we do for those we serve, and continue to look…
Make your voice count! Counting your family in the 2020 census is important—it helps to ensure fair representation and increase funding for community programs like ours. The census is safe and confidential. Results are only used to produce statistics, and immigration status will not be considered. Beginning March 12, you can respond to the census…
David and Nicole Aldridge support TAP with consistent monthly gifts. When asked about why monthly giving works for them, they shared that they practice the principle of giving ten percent, saving ten percent, and living on the rest. Their practical approach of including TAP in their budget each month has paid dividends for the community…
Trying to turn your life around is hard work. The students in TAP’s youth programs are doing that work every day—some of them have been doing it while fighting hunger, too. Not a Choice, a Situation “Some of our students don’t eat at home, not because they don’t want to eat, and not because mom…
In response to COVID-19, TAP’s youth programs have begun meeting in groups of fewer than ten. When the students in TAP’s youth programs are acting out, Rob Wormley knows there’s more to it than meets the eye. “Even though it looks like anger or being bad,” Rob explains, “I know there’s a lot of hurt…
“This place has a feeling that you have to experience,” Ben Wilborn says as he helps unload a van packed with trash bags full of books. The place he’s referring to with his contagious enthusiasm is a former freezer warehouse located behind Feeding America Southwest Virginia. Instead of storing food, the 13,000-square-foot warehouse now acts…
They say that moving is one of the most stressful events in life—but that’s not how Hannah Oakes sees it. From her perspective, it’s a celebratory occasion. On moving day, she’s been known to gather together a few helpers and a truck. She has a housewarming gift ready. Maybe there’s even a pizza involved. Moving…
Did you know that the Federal Reserve, Forbes, the National Association of Realtors, Harvard, and many more experts say that home equity (the home’s current market value minus what’s owed on the mortgage) is one of the top contributors to American household wealth? That’s because unlike other assets purchased with a loan, homes actually gain…
“We’re planting the seed of homeownership.” That’s how Carla Evans sees her volunteer work as an instructor with TAP’s Homebuyer Education Class. Carla, a realtor with Wainwright & Co. REALTORS, volunteers alongside Rob Jessee of the Jessee Realty Group brokered by RealStar Realtors. Both Carla and Rob volunteer their expertise in this class because they…
Join us for this FREE community event! TAP’s annual Black History Month celebration will be held on February 18, 2020 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church. The event will feature entertainment, guest speakers, and an awards ceremony, followed by a soul food luncheon prepared by Morning Star Baptist Church. This year, we’ll continue…
There’s a new leader on the scene in our Energy Conservation and Housing Rehab (ECHR) component. Bringing a unique advantage John O’Donnell took the reins of the component over the summer and has since hit the ground running. John has years of experience in the housing and construction field. Before coming to TAP, he worked…
A Conversation with Billy Weitzenfeld Billy Weitzenfeld is the executive director of the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals (AECP), a role he’s served in for 20 years. This nonprofit group promotes and advocates for energy conservation, and serves as a support and resource group for Virginia’s Weatherization Assistance Program. TAP is a founding member of…