American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) commemorated their alliance by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand collaboration and strengthen support for the families of America’s fallen servicemembers, veterans, and active-duty servicemembers. 
 
The MOU, signed at the ALA’s 104th National Convention in Tampa, Fla., formalized a shared commitment to work together in honoring and assisting military families through coordinated outreach, advocacy, and community-based initiatives.
 
“This MOU allows both organizations to utilize each other’s networks to further promote our missions where they overlap,” said ALA National Headquarters Programs Division Director Chrystal Daulton. “Both organizations can provide a strengthened sense of community for survivors. Additionally, this MOU will enable unit members to speak from a knowledgeable place on services and support that may be found in their local area for survivors.”
 
Since our founding in 1919, the ALA has had an unwavering legacy of serving veterans, military, and their families through educational initiatives, service programs, and grassroots advocacy. We know military service is a sacrifice for the whole family, so ALA members quietly look for ways to ease the burden — whatever it takes to get families the help they need. If we don’t have the resources, we connect military families with our partners who do. 
 
TAPS, established in 1994, has provided compassionate care and survivor support to more than 100,000 loved ones grieving the loss of a military member. Regardless of the relationship to the servicemember or the circumstances around their death, TAPS exists to support anyone mourning the loss of a loved one in the military and veteran community by providing help, hope, and healing through a variety of programs to survivors nationally and worldwide. 
 
“The survivors of those who sacrificed to serve our country have not been previously addressed by our organization at a national level before this partnership,” said Daulton. “With the addition of the ALA Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Committee purpose statement — adding that the committee will expand its focus to survivors as well as veterans, families, and caregivers — this MOU allows our members to utilize TAPS’ resources and networks to provide support for those left behind by the loss of their loved one who served.”
 
The signed MOU between the Auxiliary and TAPS marks the beginning of an even stronger alliance rooted in service, remembrance, and dedication to America’s heroes and their loved ones. Both organizations strongly believe in the power of Service Not Self and continue to put veterans, military, and their families at the center of their missions. Together, we will strengthen support and care for all those loved and left behind. 
 
The partnership will foster collaboration in these areas:
• joint outreach and survivor support initiatives
• community service projects honoring veterans and their families
• expanded access to grief resources, peer mentoring, and educational programs
• increased visibility and advocacy efforts for military families nationwide
• educating youth about advocacy and education
 
To learn more about the partnership between the American Legion Auxiliary and TAPS, visit www.ALAforVeterans.org or www.taps.org. 
 
“I am hopeful that this partnership will be successful in the following ways: allow more survivors access to all of the much needed resources and information provided by TAPS, to strengthen both of our organizations’ presence in local communities nationwide, and our combined voices will provide a greater impact nationwide when advocating for the needs of survivors,” said Daulton.