Here are just a few TFH Appalachia highlights from 2022

Flood Recovery. Congelton-Hacker Construction Company is generously donating, to flood survivors in eastern Kentucky, what will amount to around 36 tractor trailer loads of furniture, appliances, and cabinets from a furnished apartment complex in Louisville, KY they are renovating. In order to stay ahead of the renovation efforts, TFH Appalachia is racing to find volunteers to load these items onto Christian Appalachia Project trucks for transport to their warehouses. The first truck load of

furniture was unloaded and distributed to flood survivors in 2 and half hours after it arrived in eastern Kentucky. Brent Bowden, a paster who has recently moved to Louisville, has been enlisted to manage the project and organize volunteers. The Hindman Settlement School brought a truck and loaded up items they needed for their dorms. Methodist Mountain Mission, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, and other organizations are making plans to bring trucks for their communities.

The TFH Appalachia Food Network continued to grow. Twenty groups now have been involved in the these Zoom meetings to collaborate  and network. Topics for the three meetings were: Mobile markets (January), food policy (May), and introductions and updates (November).

The TFH Congregational Engagement Partnership initiative was introduced. Jason Coker and Keith Stillwell visited church leaders in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia to discuss a variety of ways that churches can partner with Together for Hope.

Extreme Build, organized by CBF Kentucky with CBF Field Personnel, Scarlette Jasper, completed their 17th home in McCreary County, KY.

TFH at CBF General Assembly. Together for Hope had a big presence at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), General Assembly this year in Dallas, Texas, leading workshops, podcasts, and hosting a large, “Together for Hope 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner.”

The Grand Opening of the Together for Hope National offices in Jackson Mississippi. Staff, board members, partners, friends, community leaders and others gathered to enjoy a meal, tour the new offices, fellowship, and celebrate the work and vision of Together for Hope for transforming rural America.

The On the Move Together for Hope event involved 140 participants who walked, ran, cycled, swam, paddled, hiked, and walked their dogs and logged 12,103.656 total miles raising $3213 for Together for Hope partners.

“Friends of TFH Appalachia.” Together for Hope Appalachia launched a giving program, “Friends of TFH Appalachia,” in conjunction with a Giving Tuesday promotion. Donors who commit to a minimum annual gift of $120 receive an appreciation gift–a candle holder and beeswax candle or a bead oil lamp created by Appalachian artisans.

TFH Appalachia Coalition Members

TFH Appalachia is proud of the good work of our Coalition Members. Here are just a few highlights:

Scarlette Jasper, Cooperative Baptist Field Personnel and close partner with TFH Appalachia, organizes a Christmas Boxes for Appalachia project each year. These boxes go to children through school Family Resource Centers, but also to senior citizens, and youth and young adults that are at risk, and to those facing homelessness. Boxes include items like hats, gloves, toiletries, toys, school supplies, books, and other fun items. About 2800 of these boxes were distributed in eight different counties in Kentucky and Tennessee, donated by many churches, groups, and individuals.

The Appalachian Immersion Experience in Middlesboro, Kentucky, hosted youth groups from Little Rock, AR, and Macon, GA, led by Keith’s daughters. They worked with Cooperative Christian Ministry distributing meals and organizing the clothes closet and thrift store, and working in a couple of literacy projects in the community.

Appalachian Service Project responded quickly to the devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky dedicating a rebuilt home with the promise of 50 more.

Cooperative Christian Ministry continued their heroic, caring, comprehensive, and effective service to their community, providing food, emergency assistance, clothes, and more.

Crea Company provides the tools and the space for members to create products and generate income. They are creatively impacting the Bluefield, WV economy. Crea designed and printed the shirts for On the Move Together for Hope.

Economic Development Greater East with Jason Tartt and Amelia Bandy in partnership with the Y’All Sauce Company and Together for Hope, launched the sauce company Appalachian Gold in McDowell County WV, with $118,000 in start up funds secured by Together for Hope from a family foundation. This business will be locally owned, sourced by local farmers, and provide 15 to 20 living wage jobs for the region. Their first product, Mamma’s Meat Sauce, is now available.

The Emma Quire Mission Center, along with the many services they provide to Owsley County, KY residents, served as a base of operations for flood response in

neighboring counties and a place for flood survivors to shower and receive clean clothes.

First Baptist Church, Corbin, KY and the White Flag Cold Weather Relief
Ministry provides housing for the unhoused when temperatures drop below 27 degrees. During one weekend in December, temperatures dropped several degrees below zero with windchill factors in the 20s. White Flag was there to provide a warm place to sleep.

The Lend-A-Hand Center

in Walker, KY continues to provide food, emergency assistance, activities for children, and hosting for mission teams. The milk cow, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, dogs, and goats make the farm a fun place to visit. Lend-A-Hand Center completed a building which will house their new food pantry.

Partnership Housing, Inc. responded when two homes in Owsley County, KY were completely destroyed in the flood. The Executive Director, Cassie Hudson, enlisted a contractor who agreed to provide free labor if the materials could be provided. The estimated cost of $25,000 for each home was raised in a matter of days and the first home was completed in just nine days after the flood.

Samaritan Ministry in Knoxville, TN, was able to return to many of it’s in-person HIV ministries including their annual Thanksgiving Banquet. The banquet served a total of 150 including a team of volunteers representing four area churches.

The Wade Center in Bluefield, WV, provides after school and summer activities to nurture children spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Last year 80% of the children in the Wade Center’s program made the honor roll, many for the first time.