In this powerful episode I (Patti) down with Tonja Lesmeister, founder of Traveling With a Purpose (TAP), to explore the heart and impact of service-based travel. Tonja shares how her early social work and youth group experiences sparked a lifelong passion for cultural immersion and community support. She opens up about founding TAP, leading dozens of service trips to Jamaica, and building long-term partnerships with children’s homes and an autism school on the island. This episode also addresses the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and how TAP is responding with immediate relief efforts, family support, and future rebuilding plans. Whether you're curious about service trips or looking for ways to help, this conversation is both heartfelt and eye-opening.

Key Points

• Tonja’s first service trip and how her passion for global service began
• The founding story of Traveling With a Purpose (TAP)
• What makes service-based travel different from traditional volunteer trips
• How TAP matches traveler skills with real needs in Jamaican communities
• Hurricane Melissa’s destruction and the urgent need for support
• Requirements and expectations for joining a TAP service trip
• How service changes the traveler as much as the community

Resources & Links

• Traveling With a Purpose (TAP)
• Firefly Hills Kentucky Campground

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