Together for Hope Appalachia

Newsletter - October 2024

Greetings from TFH Appalachia

Keith Stillwell

keith@tfhope.org

TFH Regional Vice President for Appalachia

Sebrena Williamson sebrena@tfhope.org

Director of Programs and Partnerships

DONATE

PARTNER

Welcome to the Coalition

Community Action Committee (CAC) -

Sarah Edmonds, Director

TFH Appalachia is excited to welcome to the coalition, the Community Action Committee (CAC), a ministry of the Parish of St Mark & St Paul, located on their beautiful campus in Sewanee, Tennessee. Sarah Edmonds, serves as CAC Director. CAC is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty, providing assistance for persons in crisis, providing for basic human needs, and presenting the love of Christ in their community. CAC provides basic food commodities to persons in need, including an interesting and popular frozen dinners project. Volunteers convert food, donated from the cafeteria of Sewanee: The University of the South, into frozen microwave dinners using a vacuum sealer. CAC is now the fourth Coalition Member from a community network of non-profits in Grundy County and Sewanee that work together in a variety of ways to alleviate poverty: BetterFi, Mountain T.O.P., and Growing Roots.

Learn More: https://www.cacsewanee.org/

"Join CAC, and help end the fight against Hunger and Poverty”

TFH Disaster Relief Fund

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Appalachia once again has been swamped with extensive flooding and wind damage. TFH held an all-staff meeting to assess the needs, especially among coalition members, partner churches, and counties of persistent rural poverty.

TFH has set up a disaster relief fund and is waiting to learn where the needs are, to determine what additional support we might bring through our networks to partners the ground.

TFH DISASTER RELIEF

TFH is filled with great sadness for the loss and devastation across the southeastern United States. However, we are hopeful because of the incredible work our long-standing partners in rural spaces carry out regularly and in times of disaster.

Many have asked us how they can give.

Who do we trust?

What is most helpful?

In the wake of this particular tragedy, Together for Hope has established a disaster relief fund to help our coalition members and strategic partners directly affected by natural disasters.

Our first priority is to help our partners who have suffered any damage or loss due to disasters, such as the storm.

Our next priority is to help any of our partners who are doing direct relief work in their affected areas.

Beyond these priorities, Together for Hope is committed to providing long-term support, funneling funds to help rural areas that do not traditionally receive national attention as they carry out the work of recovery for many years to come.

Together for Hope is not a first-response organization, but we will work with our partners in these areas as they care for their neighbors and continue their long-term work.

We hope you'll support our partners as they travel the long road to recovery. Thank you for rising to an occasion of challenge for our nation and considering rural communities.

Thank you.

Support disaster recovery now!

Sebrena & Keith at Work in Appalachia

Rising Hope at Emory & Henry

Emory & Henry University in Virginia hosted a film screening of Rising Hope. Sebrena introduced the film to a group of around 50 students, faculty, and community members. Sebrena was happy to reconnect with Dr. Theresa Burris, her former Appalachian Studies professor from Radford University. Dr. Burris currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement and Economic Development at Emory & Henry University and was the primary contact for the film screening. Keith was able to join Sebrena for this event.

CBF Virginia - General Assembly

On September 17, Keith participated in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Virginia General Assembly at First Baptist Church Newport News Virginia. CBF Virginia has been an important partner with TFH, especially in Bluefield VA/WV and McDowell County, WV. Their work through Bridges for Hope has led TFH to some rich partnerships with The Wade Center, Jason Tartt and T&T Organics, Amelia Bandy and Economic Development Greater East, Reid Miller Apparel, Appalachian Gold, and more.

CBF Tennessee - General Assembly

Later that week, Friday and Saturday, Keith reconnected with friends and partners at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Tennessee General Assembly in Knoxville, including TFH partners, and friendly churches, members, pastors and staff. TFH Coalition Member, Scarlette Jasper with Olive Branch Ministries, shared an exhibit and was featured in the Tennessee CBF State Volunteer Mission Offering promotional video. Wayne Smith, with Samaritan Ministry, also a Coalition Member, exhibited and led a workshop. National Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was well represented. At the exhibit, Keith was able to highlight some TFH partners in the region, including Appalachia Service Project, Mountain T.O.P., BetterFi, Appalachian Immersion Experience, Samaritan Ministry, Olive Branch Ministries, and others. Several participants were very interested to learn how BetterFi could help their church help persons trapped in predatory loans.

CBF Kentucky - Extreme Build

Keith joined Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Kentucky's Extreme Build to help paint the interior on October 4th. The home is nearly completed and will soon be turned over to the new home owner who would not otherwise be able to afford to buy a home.

Dr. Theresa Burris with Sebrena at Emory & Henry

Rising Hope Film Screening at Emory & Henry University

Smokey & Rick Bennett, CBF TN, Field Coordinator, General Assembly

Wayne Smith, Samaritan Ministry, leads session at CBF TN Assembly

Scarlette Jasper represents Olive Branch Ministry at CBF TN Assembly

Mark Snipes, CBF Virginia Coordinator at the CBFVA General Assembly

Laura Davis, CBF Virginia Associate Coordinator at General Assembly

Events

Kentucky Friends

Join us

Thursday - Oct. 10 - 6:30 p.m.

Crescent Hill Baptist Church

2800 Frankfort Ave. - Louisville, KY

Vote NO on Amendment 2

in November

Passage of this amendment will allow public funds to be diverted away from already under-resourced schools in eastern Kentucky and throughout the state.

Learn More about Amendment 2

Protect our Schools KY

Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

Pastors for Kentucky Children

Kentucky School Boards Association

The TFH Appalachia Coalition

The TFH Appalachia Coalition at Work

Appalachia Service Project

After Hurricane Helene, Appalachia Service Project was quickly in the field, assessing the extensive damage, much of it near their home offices in Johnson City, Tennessee. They visited command centers and those impacted to determine next steps for recovery in region. ASP staff and volunteers have been on the ground doing muck out work in a community devastated by the Helene’s floodwaters. Already, at the time of this writing, ASP has raised the funds for two homes for families affected by Helene.

Visit asphome.org/helpafterhelene to join ASP in their disaster recovery efforts.

Visit their Facebook page to stay up to date with their work: www.facebook.com/AppServProject

In times of crisis, TFH Appalachia is especially grateful for the heroic work of ASP. Appalachia Service Project is building, rebuilding, and repairing homes - “warmer, safer, drier.”

Thank you ASP!

ASP in Carter County - Facerbook Photo - facebook.com/AppServProject

Rural Appalachia Improvement League

The Rural Appalachia Improvement League (RAIL), in Wyoming County, has recently been awarded two grants. Emily Zilich Thomas, TFH Chief Development Officer, Sebrena Williamson, and Kristi Halsey, RAIL Executive Coordinator, worked together to write a grant with the Southern Partners Fund, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, which awarded RAIL a $5000 grant. Additionally RAIL was the recipient of an Appalachian Regional Commission INSPIRE Initiative award! Their project, Remote Readiness Resource Network R(3)N, is part of nearly $11.5 million package for 39 projects that are creating or expanding recovery ecosystem services to help address Appalachia's substance use disorder crisis. RAIL’s team will partner with Remote Work Agency, New Perspectives Counseling Services, Southern Highlands Community Mental Health, Family Options Providers, as well as others to develop supportive pathways to remote work for individuals in SUD recovery in Wyoming County, West Virginia.

Extreme Build - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Kentucky

Extreme Build sponsored, by CBF Kentucky and Highland Housing Corporation, in McCreary County, Kentucky, is well underway. This will be the 17th home built in the county since the early days of TFH. Normally homes are built in a week-and-a-half by volunteers in the summer, but this year the project needed to be rescheduled until the Fall and will be completed by volunteer teams in shifts throughout the months of September and October.