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Together for Hope Appalachia

JULY 2024

Greetings from

Together for Hope Appalachia


Keith Stillwell

keith@tfhope.org

TFH Regional Vice President for Appalachia


Sebrena Williamson sebrena@tfhope.org

Director of Programs and Partnerships

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Central Appalachian Faith Collective - Land Sovereignty Efforts

Since early 2024, Sebrena Williamson, representing Together for Hope Appalachia, has been working as part of the Central Appalachian Faith Collective. As a founding member, TFH Appalachia has helped assist with land sovereignty efforts in Central Appalachia. An article in Black by God summarizes the efforts: 


“With nearly two-thirds of all privately owned land in McDowell County, WV, held by ten out-of-state companies, the long, exploitative cycle of absentee land ownership continues to stunt any hopes of local economic self-determination. However, a new land access initiative championed by the local faith community in partnership with Economic Development Greater East (EDGE) is looking to change that… 


The newly-formed Central Appalachian Faith Collaborative is a group of multiple faith-based organizations representing several different expressions of Christianity from around Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, including the Mennonite Central Committee, Together for Hope Appalachia, and the West Virginia Faith Collective. Drawing on the Biblical theme of Jubilee, a once-every-fifty-year cycle of reparations that included the return of lost property, it is making a theological case to land companies for the return of local land to local communities for local economic development.”

Welcome to the Coalition

One Voice/One Cup -

Debra Davis, Executive Director

This July, Together for Hope welcomed One Voice One Cup, Oceana, WV, to the Coalition! Our team at Together for Hope Appalachia had the chance to visit and talk with One Voice’s Executive Director, the wonderful Debra Davis, about healing Appalachian counties impacted by the substance use epidemic. Our team witnessed how One Voice creates community-led recovery solutions, with a central focus on employment and the creation of free, robust support spaces. Their work has been featured in the PBS short, “Addiction Effects Everyone.” 


According to their website:


“No state has been as profoundly affected by the substance use epidemic as West Virginia. For several years, West Virginia has led the nation in age-adjusted drug overdose death rates... One Cup, the newest business venture of One Voice, employs those in recovery as part of the aftercare component in the continuum of care process. Dedicated office space is available for Recovery Point WV, Southern Highlands, and Creating Opportunities for Recovery Employment to give those in recovery wrap-around services under one roof. The training and education center is available for the community and individuals to explore support groups, telehealth, peer recovery coach classes, among many other opportunities in our state-of-the-art conference center state and nationwide.


One Voice serves as the relationship manager to assist individuals pursuing recovery in rebuilding lives and communities by making community resources more easily accessible and making fighting stigma a priority.”


https://onevoicewv.org/

Manna from Heaven -

Lois Tackett, Founder/Director

Manna from Heaven, in Myra, Kentucky, is about neighbors helping neighbors. Lois Tackett, founder and director of Manna from Heaven, herself a resident, saw the needs of her neighbors and is finding ways to provide. TFH Appalachia is proud to welcome Lois Tackett and Manna from Heaven to the Coalition. Manna provides food, clothing, personal hygiene products, household goods, and furniture on a weekly basis. Seeking sustainability, Lois, initiated a gardening program, which provided seeds, fertilizer, and training, so that neighbors could produce fresh nutritious food for themselves and share back vegetables to Manna from Heaven. Next, teaming up with Keith Turner, founder of the Farm Ministry of the Rockingham Cooperative from Virginia, Lois launched, “Hens for Hope,” which supplied backyard chicken coups and hens to Myra residents, providing eggs and a source of protein. Again, neighbors were able to help themselves and share eggs back for the community. Lois would now like to find a way to provide fruit trees for the community.


Lois has been able to mobilize outside groups, like Harrisonburg Baptist Church, VA, to bring teams, resources, back-to-school items, and household goods to share with the community. With very limited resources, Manna from Heaven is making a big impact in Myra. TFH Appalachia looks forward to partnering with Lois and Manna from Heaven.


https://www.facebook.com/MannaFromHeavenInc

Keith Visits TFH Partners

Keith Stillwell made a number of connections close to home in July: 


  • The New Opportunity School for Women (NOSW) in Berea, KY: NOSW “provides a place for under-resourced women to build confidence and skills to make changes they want to see in their lives.” Executive Director, Gina Riddell, shared with Keith her dreams and vision for NOSW as they discussed partnership possibilities. The mission of NOSW is aligned with TFH's priorities of hope. nosw.org


  • The Berea College Appalachian Fund: The Appalachian Fund “supports nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life in central Appalachia.” Davey King, Director, kindly shared with Keith valuable information about how the fund might benefit TFH and coalition members. www.berea.edu/appalachian-fund


  • Heritage Farms, Laurel County, KY: Keith enjoyed touring Heritage Farms, a part of the Laurel County African American Heritage Center, with Wayne Riley, founder and director. High Tunnels, bees, goats and pigs, and more make up this farm that provides education and nutrition to the community. facebook.com/lcaahc.inc


  • Bread for the World in Corbin, KY: Florence French, with Bread for the World, hosted a listening session at First Baptist Church, Corbin. She shared legislative priorities and heard from participants about pressing issues and obstacles to addressing food insecurity in southeastern Kentucky.


  • Standford, KY in Lincoln County: Just 15 to 20 minutes from his home, Keith visited the Fort Logan Food Pantry with the Turnersville Christian Mission, which provides shelter for up to 68 unhoused individuals at a time. He also toured their unique shop, Kentucky Soaps and Such, which produces goat milk soap on site, contributing to the local economy.


  • Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC): Keith joined an KFTC educational advocacy meeting by Zoom, focused on defeating a proposed amendment to the Kentucky Constitution that would allow public funding to be used for private schools. TFH Appalachia views this as a high priority as funds would be diverted from already under resourced schools in Appalachia. kftc.org

New Opportunity School for Women with Program Graduates

Bread for the World Listening Session - Corbin, KY

Heritage Farm - Laurel County, KY

Events

Visit the webpage for more information:

tfhope.org/tfh-annual-meeting-2024


We hope you can join us this October in Decatur, GA for the TFH Annual Meeting! All TFH Coalition Members, strategic partners, supporters, and anyone interested in rural development are invited to attend! We look forward to bringing together a community that is committed to alleviating persistent rural poverty across America.


Attendance for Coalition Members is free!

Partners and friends: $70.00 to attend (covers three meals, refreshments, and facility fees). 

REGISTER

THE TFH APPALACHIA COALITION

The TFH Appalachia Coalition at Work

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Virginia - General Assembly


Registration is now open for CBF Virginia's General Assembly at First Baptist Church of Newport News


Here's a general rundown of the schedule:


9-9:15- Registration- Coffee and Pastries

9:15-10:15- Opening Session. Engage with our partners!

10:15-11:00- Breakout Session 1

11:15-12:00- Breakout Session 2

12:00- Lunch

12:40- Business Session

1 pm- Q and A Panel with Paul Baxley and Laura Ayala

2 pm- Closing Worship featuring Lynn Brinkley


The Rev. Dr. Lynn Brinkley will be our proclaimer in Newport News! We better treat her with respect; Dr. Brinkley wrote the book on guest preachers and protocol titled, Manners and Money: A Manual on Preaching Etiquette which addresses proper pulpit decorum and hospitality towards guest ministers.


Dr. Brinkley has earned degrees from North Carolina State University, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Campbell University Divinity School, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She recently completed a second Doctor of Ministry degree at Howard University School of Divinity.


In January 2020, Dr. Brinkley began serving as the Associate Director of Baptist Women in Ministry. Prior to that, she served 13 years as Director of Church, Alumni, and Student Relations at Campbell University Divinity School where she remains as an adjunct instructor.


Lynn now serves with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as the Pan African Koinonia Field Ministry Coordinator.


We hope that you will join us in connecting with mission and ministry partners. You may consider inviting a ministry colleague or a prospective seminary student who wants to learn more about CBF.

Rev. Dr. Lynn Brinkley

Extreme Build - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Kentucky


CBF Kentucky invites you to assist with this important annual project in McCreary County, KY, an area of focus for CBF Field Personnel Scarlette Jasper.


Dates and Skills Needed


September 19-21 | 12 volunteers needed | SIDING

September 20-21 | 10 volunteers needed | TRIM PAINT

September 27-28 | 6 volunteers needed | DECKING

October 4-5 | 8 volunteers needed | INTERIOR PAINT

October 9-10 | 8 volunteers needed | FLOORING

October 11-12 | 6 volunteers needed | FINISH CARPENTRY

October 12 and 14 | 10 volunteers needed | LANDSCAPE/PUNCHLIST


If you or your team can participate on any of the days, please email Peggy at office@cbfky.org or call her at (502) 475-3863. There are some good AirBnB options available in this rural area, but few hotels. Plan ahead.

Meet the Coalition

Olive Branch Ministries - Scarlette Jasper

olivebranchministriesky.org

Corbin, KY


Appalachian Gold

www.appalachiangold.com

McDowell County, WV


Appalachian Immersion Experience

fbcmiddlesboro.org/appalachian-immersion

Middlesboro, KY


Appalachia Service Project

asphome.org

Johnson City, TN


BetterFi

www.betterfi.co

Grundy County, TN


Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Kentucky

cbfky.org/

Kentucky


Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Virginia

cbfva.org/

Virginia


Cooperative Christian Ministry

ccmkentucky.wixsite.com/ccmky

Middlesboro, KY


Economic Development Greater East

www.edge-us.org

McDowell County, WV


Emma Quire Mission Center

www.emmaquiremc.org

Owsley County, KY


FBC Community Missions

White Flag Cold Weather Relief, FBC Corbin Food Pantry, Mustard Seed Garden

www.corbinfbc.org/community-missions

Corbin, KY


Growing Roots

growingrootstn.org

Grundy County, TN

Lend-A-Hand Center

lendahandcenter.wordpress.com

Walker, KY


Manna from Heaven

facebook.com/MannaFromHeavenInc

Myra, KY


Mountain T.O.P.

www.mountain-top.org

Grundy County, TN


One Voice/One Cup

onevoicewv.org

Wyoming County, WV


Partnership Housing, Inc.

www.partnershiphousinginc.com

Owsley County, KY


Pastors for Kentucky Children www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070478259508

Kentucky


Reid Miller - American Made-to-Measure Womenswear

https://reidmiller.us/

Princeton, West Virginia


Rural Appalachian Improvement League, Inc. (RAIL)

www.railwv.org

Wyoming County, WV


Samaritan Ministry

www.samaritancentral.org

Knoxville, TN


T&T Organics

tntorganics.weebly.com/about-us.html

McDowell County, KY


The Wade Center

wadecenter.com

Bluefield, WV


Y'All Company

yallsauce.com

Winston-Salem, NC

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