Mission Statement
The Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia (TAP VA) is an all volunteer, trans-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Hampton Roads. It was created to combat homelessness within the transgender community in Virginia. TAP VA also provides educational opportunities around the important fact that trans rights are human rights by explaining the intersectionality between homelessness, discrimination, socioeconomic status and racism within the trans community in Virginia.
Our goal is to offer safe emergency housing to homeless transgender adults in Virginia, and to help them find the additional resources they need to remove the barriers to self-sufficiency while we continue to provide education surrounding the issues trans people face on a daily basis.
Our program is unique because it is run by the transgender community for the transgender community.
Vision Statement
Our vision is to see the transgender community, and their allies, unite together to help transgender and gender non-conforming members of our community receive the resources they need to recover from hardship, free from discrimination, harassment, or violence due to their gender identity or gender expression.
Nondiscrimination Policy
The Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia follows an equal opportunity employment policy and accepts all volunteers without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
Karen's Closet
A free shopping experience for the trans community
You are invited to explore a vast collection of free clothing specifically gathered for you! Located in Norfolk VA, Karen's Closet is part of our commitment to provide essential resources to the trans community. Many trans, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary individuals often struggle to shop safely in public, find clothing that aligns with their expression of gender, or overcome a financial barrier to obtain clothing that is comfortable for them to wear. Karen's Closet appointments are completely FREE for the trans community and offers clean, gently used clothing, shoes, accessories, and new/unused health & beauty products, along with a safe, private, and curated shopping experience for all of its guests.
To make an appointment, please contact Karen's Closet at transactivistva@gmail.com and include your name and phone number. Additionally, we are always in need of supplies—check out our Amazon Wishlist to help us continue to provide a variety of products to our clients!
Karen's Closet (est. 2024) is located in Norfolk, VA. Open by appointment only.
Trans life anthology
The Trans Life Anthology is a living, breathing collection of stories that provide a glimpse inside the daily lives of various transgender individuals.
These stories are of trans people told by trans people, from the mundane (finding non-gendered menstruation products in your local store) to the sensational (being the first trans individual at your school/office/etc) - we share small stories, big stories, and everything in between. This can be an experience that brought you joy, that created sadness, that evoked anger or frustration, or just an ordinary snapshot of an average moment.
The mission of our project is to provide an opportunity for readers to experience empathy and connect with our shared humanity by reading personal accounts of the trans individuals who are increasingly being stereotyped, villainized, and politicized in current legislation in the United States, including youth* (and their families) affected by these political campaigns.
Some of these stories (with permission) will also be submitted in press releases to local and national news organizations to further the reach of readership.
For more details, please click here.
Trans Life Anthology (est. 2023).
Support Our Mission
Consider a one-time or recurring gift to TAP Virginia to support and enable transgender Virginians to survive and thrive! All contributions will go directly towards our mission to assist our trans community members with vital resources to help them avoid a crisis or recover from hardship.
