Nonprofit marks 20 years of support for families impacted by gun violence

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - A local nonprofit is celebrating two decades of advocacy and support for families affected by gun violence.

FEDUP, or Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer, was created by women who turned their personal loss into a mission to help others.

What started in living rooms and church halls has grown into a powerful network for families devastated by gun violence.

“We started meeting, talking, and visiting other families who had lost loved ones to gun violence, and realized how much our connection was helping us to heal,” said Renea Penn Taylor, Co-Founder of FEDUP.

Renea Taylor lost her younger brother, Jamie, in 2005. Around the same time, Debra McGlawn’s son, Mathew, was also killed. Two other women, Rita Joyce and Tracy Penn, were impacted by gun violence.