
Travis
Tucker,
a
teacher
at
Freedom
High
School
and
talented
musician,
had
an
innovative
and
charitable
plan
to
use
his
musical
ability
during
the
statewide
shutdown
due
to
the
coronavirus.
Tucker
is
best
known
for
his
appearance
on
American
Idol
Season
4,
where
he
advanced
to
the
top
16.
At
the
beginning
of
the
shutdown,
Tucker
said
a
few
of
his
musician
friends
live-streamed
musical
performances
online
as
a
source
of
income
since
they
were
unable
to
perform
in
person
due
to
the
coronavirus.
Tucker
decided
to
spin
the
idea
to
benefit
the
community.
He
launched
the
"Quarantine
Request
Live"
events
on
his
music
Facebook
page,
allowing
people
to
vote
for
the
top
five
songs
they
wanted
to
request
he
perform
via
live
stream
a
week
in
advance.
Tucker
selected
a
different
organization
in
the
community
to
fundraise
for
each
week.
He
collected
donations
from
the
community
in
exchange
for
tuning
in
to
his
livestreamed
events
and
donated
100
percent
of
the
proceeds
to
the
week's
fundraiser
recipient.
Tucker
elaborated
on
his
motivation
to
start
these
weekly
fundraisers,
"All
things
considered,
my
family
and
I
have
been
incredibly
fortunate
during
these
unprecedented
times.
I
figured
there
are
families
out
there
that
are
really
getting
hit
hard
economically
due
to
COVID-19.
With
so
many
people
in
the
community
stepping
up
to
the
plate
to
help
others,
it
felt
like
our
turn.
Music
is
a
huge
outlet
for
me,
so
it
gave
me
a
chance
to
play,
keep
in
touch
with
friends
and
the
community,
and
help
those
who
really
need
it."
Beginning
Wednesday,
May
13
until
Wednesday,
June
10,
Tucker
chose
a
different
cause
to
support
for
different
reasons.
Each
week
had
a
different
theme
such
as,
'Girl
Power',
'A
Capella
Loop',
'Country,
Rock,
Classics',
'Soul
BBQ',
and
ending
the
final
theme,
'Dance
Party'
for
Black
Lives
Matter
DC.
Travis
elaborated
on
how
the
previous
fundraising
recipients
were
chosen,
"May
13
proceeds
went
to
my
son's
school,
Barcroft
Elementary
in
Arlington.
The
Parent
Teacher
Association
(PTA)
used
the
money
to
help
families
in
need
by
providing
food
and
other
household
essentials.
May
20's
proceeds
went
to
support
local
restaurants
in
Arlington,
where
I
used
to
live,
and
a
local
fire
station.
We
used
the
money
to
buy
gift
cards
and
delivered
them
to
the
fire
department
as
a
token
of
our
appreciation.
May
27
proceeds
went
to
the
church
I
attended
growing
up,
St.
Margaret's
Episcopal
Church
in
Woodbridge.
The
money
will
be
going
to
families
in
need.
June
3
proceeds
went
to
Freedom
High,
the
school
where
I
work
in
Woodbridge,
similarly,
to
help
families
in
need
of
food
or
other
essentials."
The
June
3
"Quarantine
Request
Live"
event
raised
$1,000
for
Freedom
students
and
families.
Freedom's
school
social
worker,
Erin
Hancock,
said
she
would
use
the
donations
to
purchase
gift
cards
for
the
families
she
works
with
year-round,
referred
to
her
by
school
counselors
or
teachers.
Hancock
voiced
her
admiration
for
Tucker's
efforts
saying,
"I
am
in
awe
of
Travis's
generosity
and
I
know
many
families
will
benefit
from
his
goodwill."
Tucker's
ingenuity
in
a
difficult
time
collected
$2,750
for
different
organizations
and
school
communities
in
need
far
and
wide.
He
looked
at
what
he
could
do
to
help,
used
his
musical
talent
to
mobilize,
bring
entertainment,
joy,
and
help
people
connect
without
being
together
physically.