Tiffany Strouse of Reinholds has received funds for supplies for her cochlear implant thanks to a grant from the Travelers Protective Association of America (TPA) Hearing Trust. TPA was founded in 1890 as a fraternal benefit society for traveling salesmen. According to Albert Shoemaker, TPA's chief administrative officer and head of the Hearing Trust located in St. Charles, Mo., the trust was created in 1975 to serve as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and be a charitable arm of the organization. The focus of the trust is to give grants to members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

In November of 2020, the Hearing Trust gave out nearly 25 grants to applicants totaling more than $16,000. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $900, and recipients ranged in age from 5 to 98. Funding may be used to obtain hearing aids, upgrade cochlear implants, perform hearing aid maintenance, or provide for tutoring and other educational needs such as a laptop computer. Grants may also be utilized to cover costs related to interpreters, medical services, and service dogs, among other needs. Shoemaker noted that the organization tries to give grants to applicants who demonstrate the greatest financial need. Nearly 6,000 recipients have been awarded grants since the Hearing Trust was founded.

On Nov. 19, 2020, TPA held the Sounds of St. Louis Virtual Awareness Event. The evening featured several speakers, including Marlee Matlin, winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her part in the film "Children of a Lesser God." Matlin lost her hearing at the age of 18 months, and she has dedicated her efforts to a number of humanitarian causes.

"We are trying to raise awareness of the need for assistance to those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community," said Shoemaker. "We are trying to raise $2 million, so we can increase the number and amount of grants we give."

Shoemaker encouraged those who want to learn more about the organization to visit http://www.tpahq.org/tpa-hearing-trust. "(Visitors to the site) can learn more about how they can help us," said Shoemaker. "Our ultimate goal is to help as many people as we possibly can, but a lot of people don't know where they can go for help." Those who wish to apply for grants may fill out an application at the same website.