All photography provided by Zea. | Website designed by Studio threesixty5

What we do

 Today, TAP volunteer teams bring three valuable things on each trip: much-needed supplies, eager hands to help with daily chores and upkeep, and a readiness to share the unique skills our team carries. We believe it is important to educate our team members with culturally appropriate training so that our volunteers come in as humble guests ready to participate in equal partnership with our global partners.

where it all began

Tonja + Troy Lesmeister first set foot in Jamaica over a decade ago for their first volunteer trip at Robin's Nest Children's Home. Tonja knew in her heart that she would fall in love with the children she was going to meet and warned her husband that this was going to open up a strong desire to expand their family through adoption.

And that's exactly what they did, their family of four grew to six when they adopted two siblings from the island and brought them home to Wisconsin. The orphanages their children called ‘Home’ for the first part of their life hold a very special place in the Lesmeisters' hearts. They were so grateful to the staff as they cared for and loved the children as their own. Tonja and Troy wanted to find a way to support the important work they do and the children that knew Robin's Nest and Melody House as home.

Our Mission

Traveling with a Purpose connects volunteers with our global partners to support sustainable improvements in the communities they serve.

 

we approach service trips differently.

TAP believes in education + training for all of our volunteers before every trip.

For many of us, a TAP service trip may be our first opportunity to experience a new culture.

We believe whenever you are a guest in another country, whether for work, leisure or to volunteer, it's important that you do your homework before you even step foot in the country and that you visit with a humble spirit.

One of the best ways that we can prepare our volunteers is by providing preliminary education. We educate our team on how to be respectful to our host country and the culture, how to document and tell stories that create complex portrayals of its people, and how to prepare for international travel. Also, because many of the children we work with have experienced some degree of trauma, it's important we understand general trauma, attachment, and sensory processing challenges.

TAP Training Itinerary

  • What to Expect + How to Prepare for Travel Day

  • Trauma, Attachment, Sensory Processing

  • Important Info Regarding Jamaican Culture

  • Everything You Need to Know About Packing

  • Ethical Photography + Volunteering with Humility

“Tonja and Troy provided excellent organization and planning for a trip that was extremely productive and fulfilling. There were immediate signs of life change and improvement for the people served making a lasting impression for us as volunteers and life change for those we served. The excursion days were informative, team building and relaxing. People with different skills and backgrounds were encouraged to bring their specific talents to yield the most benefit. I highly recommend Traveling with a Purpose for service work.”
— Teresa Gillen, Points of Stillness

Traveling with a purpose Accomplishments

Health + Wellness

  • Trained 26 staff in First Aid and CPR.

  • Gave 70 eye exams by a trained Optometrist and filled 39 eyeglass prescriptions.

  • Provided Specialized services in Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Optometry, Healing Touch, and Dental Hygiene.

  • Planted a 20’ X 25’ garden.

  • Donated a large chest freezer to preserve food and water during water shortages.

Property + Maintenance

  • Installed a new remote-controlled security gate.

  • Renovated a 20’ X 50’ chicken coop.

  • Built a solar room and installed solar panels.

  • Supplied one of the orphanages with a full set of tools.

  • Installed outdoor security lighting and cameras.

  • Installed fans in each of the bedrooms.

  • Repaired roof at Melody House.

Education + Technology

  • Created Facebook and Website pages for Melody House.

  • Donated 1 laptop, 3 Chromebooks, and 3 Kindle Fires for office and academic support.

  • Established a homeschooling program for one girl who is currently not enrolled in public school.

  • Provided technical support on electronic devices to fix and/or update them to allow for continued use.

ENrichment + Support

  • Brought 107 people, on 12 teams since July 2018.

  • Provided over 156 suitcases of needed supplies to two orphanages and surrounding communities.

  • Created and maintained 35 enrichment bins to enhance the children’s academic and personal growth.

  • Took teen girls on 12 field trips; bowling, a community agriculture event, a Gospel concert, a Youth Empowerment Symposium, to the beach, out to dinner, to the Montego Bay Cultural Centre, rollerskating, and out for ice cream.

  • Sponsored 8 girls to attend a 6 week STEAM day camp over summer break.