Southern Coalfields of West Virginia

In the Southern Coalfields of WV, connections and collaborations are blossoming rapidly! Coalfield Development, an organization based in Huntington, WV, is meeting with partners in Southern West Virginia to strategize support and collaboration. Sebrena introduced Josiah Hannah, Community Impact Director at Coalfield, to One Voice in Oceana and Rural Appalachian Opportunity League in Mullens. Both of these organizations are newly joined members of our coalition, and will be active participants in the discussion. In addition, Economic Development Greater East (EDGE) will also be part of the discussions, having participated in Coalfield's WRAPS program. 

Knoxville, Tennessee

In Knoxville, Sebrena represented Together for Hope at First Baptist Knoxville's Missions Fair. She was joined by Together for Hope Coalition Member, Scarlette Jasper with Olive Branch Ministries. While talking with church members, Sebrena had the chance to spotlight Together for Hope coalition members in Tennessee and in Appalachia at large; she also had the chance to learn more about organizations doing good work in Eastern Tennessee. Afterwards, she joined Scarlette and CBF Tennessee Coordinator Rick Bennett on the Tennessee River for great conversation and a delicious lunch. 

Grundy County, Tennessee

Keith joined Sebrena after the Missions Fair, and the two traveled to Grundy County, Tennessee to meet with coalition members and potential partners:

Growing Roots: According to their website, "Growing Roots is motivated by a justice-oriented approach to land use, food sovereignty on the grassroots level, and collaborative community efforts to improve the quality of life for all who call this mountain home." While visiting, Sebrena and Keith had the chance to learn more about their programs and projects, like Native Plant Space. Native Plant Space is a small educational garden that highlights plant species native to the South Cumberland Plateau, and also aims to bring awareness to land use narratives of the South Cumberland Plateau area - seeking insight and stories from the Indigenous people who first called the Plateau home. The Native Plant Space stands along the Bell Route detachment of the Trail of Tears, which runs locally along Hwy 41 and Main Street. Sebrena and Keith were amazed to see the depth of Growing Roots' mission, and the incredible importance of the work in action. In addition to their programming, they also offer a free resource library, a community seed bank, and free plant starts.

Christian Action Committee: The Grundy trip included a wonderful visit with Sarah, Director of the Community Action Committee (CAC), a ministry of the Parish of St Mark & St Paul, Sewanee, TN. 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. One of their interesting projects uses a vacuum sealer to convert food, donated from the cafeteria of Sewanee: The University of the South, into frozen microwave dinners.

Dr. Phelps, Tracy City Free Clinic: Sebrena and Keith enjoyed lunch with Dr. Phelps on the campus of Sewanee: The University of the south to discuss potential partnership with the Tracy City Free Clinic.

BetterFi: Also joining the team for lunch was Spike Hosch, Executive Director and Founder of BetterFi. Together they strategized about how TFH could raise awareness of BetterFi’s services among Tennessee churches. Many of those who come to the church for assistance may be trapped in predatory loans. A referral to BetterFi from a trusted pastor or church member could help.

Mountain T.O.P: Sebrena made her first visit to coalition member, Mountain T.O.P., to meet the new interim director and other staff, tour the beautiful campus, and learn more about their service to the community and those that visit.

Kentucky and Beyond

Keith was busy in August working with coalition members and potential partners:

• On the important issue in Kentucky of the November ballot amendment to allow public funding for private schools, Keith has been planning with Pastors for Kentucky Children and meeting with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. TFH Appalachia is advocating for the defeat of this amendment that would divert funding from already under resourced schools, especially in rural areas like eastern Kentucky.
• Jim and Rita Cmolik, with Hills and Hollers, minister to young women and families in McCreary County, KY, providing prenatal and infant care, mentoring, transportation, and much needed supplies, such as clothes, food, school supplies, car seats, and more. Keith visited with the Cmolik’s and Scarlette Jasper, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel and TFH member, to explore potential partnership.
• Keith is on the planning committee for Faith & Community in Appalachia, an annual conference that will be held in Wheeling, WV, November 7-9.
• Harold Tessendorf, TFH housing consultant, has been gauging interest in applying with for New Market Tax Credits for, and with, our TFH housing partners. This has included meetings planned with TFH Appalachia Coalition Members, Appalachia Service Project, Partnership Housing, and Extreme Build.
• From the office of Candice Mullens at Grow Appalachia, Keith arranged a conference call with new coalition member, Lois Tackett, with Manna from Heaven, to explore the possibility of Manna from Heaven applying for the Grow Appalachia Garden Grants program which would provides “organic production resources and technical assistance through a hired partner site coordinator.”
• Finally, Keith joined students, faculty, and professors for the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center Coffee Hour, a great place to get up-to-date with many happenings in Appalachia, ask questions of Appalachian studies folk with a wide range of expertise, and make valuable connections.

New Beginnings: Custom-fit Womenswear, Technology and Home Sewing Jobs

Together for Hope coalition member Reid Miller, founder of her made in the U.S., self named custom fit womenswear line, Reid Miller, has been awarded a grant by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts to collaborate with West Virginia University researcher, Jordon Masters to digitally “custom fit” her designs. Masters, who specializes in computer assisted design (CAD) will be experimenting with Reid to custom fit her garment designs onto client avatars in 3 D design software to see if they can eliminate the need for fittings by mail (a very costly part of the previous experimentation she did using pattern making software for this work).

Reid Miller, based in Princeton, West Virginia in Southern West Virginia, has a vision to create custom fit garments using digital pattern making software that support solid middle class wages for home sewers caring for dependent children or older adults in the region. After nearly 10 years building her pattern making and design skills and experimenting with existing technologies to custom fit her patterns nights and weekends, this work represents a new beginning for the work. While Reid has had a vision for using technology to custom fit remote clients and create well paying sewing jobs, the technology is only now ready to make this dream a reality. Reid hopes to offer her custom fit designs to clients as early as Spring of 2025, providing women with beautiful, classic womenswear that fits, while creating home sewing jobs in the region. 

TFH Appalachia, with Harold Tessendorf, TFH social enterprise consultant, is assisting Reid is developing a business plan for this new phase of her work.

More information about Reid Miller available at reidmiller.us or follow along on Instagram@reidmiller.us

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https://reidmiller.substack.com/

Extreme Build - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Kentucky

EXTREME BUILD, faithful partner with Together for Hope Appalachia partner, begins work on their 18th home (one a year) with the pre-build, Sept. 9-14.

Extreme Build will be using the following schedule this year: September 19-21 we will need 12 volunteers to put the siding on the house; September 20-21 we will need 10 volunteers to do trim paint; September 27-28 we will need 6 volunteers for the deck; October 4-5 we will need 8 volunteers for interior paint; October 9-10 we will need 8 volunteers for flooring; October 11-12 we will need 6 volunteers for finish carpentry; October 12 and 14 we will need 10 volunteers for landscape and punch list. We need a crew of folks who will commit to being present for some, or all, of this time. We can use every set of hands that are available to us. Set this aside on your calendar or go ahead and register below. The cost is only $25 per day (with you paying for any lodging that you might need.) with a $100 maximum. You can pay when you register by clicking the Donate button on the top of the screen. Be sure to click “Add special instructions to the seller” and let us know this is for Extreme Build.

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.

For more information and to register:

http://cbfky.org/extreme-build-2024

Some Updates from Around Coalition

There have been a variety of wonderful developments across the region.

Economic Development Greater East, (EDGE), recently hosted an event with Black Farmer’s Index. In addition, EDGE is exploring many potential ideas that would bring growth, healing and inspiration to the area, including the certification of DarkSky International places, the development of new industries, and new ways to interact with the community. 

The Central Appalachian Faith Collective, which includes EDGE and TFH Appalachia, has officially mailed its first letters to landowning companies. We are waiting to hear back, and are actively working together to holistically facilitate land and food sovereignty in the region. 

One Voice/One Cup is doing excellent work providing resources for recovery in WV. They are currently looking to start a construction social enterprise and assistance with IT; we have introduced them to Coalfield. 

Rural Appalachian Improvement League (RAIL) is meeting with Coalfield to discuss joining their WRAPS program! 

Olive Branch Ministries with Scarlette Jasper is about to start their annual Christmas boxes project; they need assistance with funding and volunteers. 

In Bluefield, The Wade Center has introduced their first honeycomb to the building, so the children can observe the bees at work up close and safely.

Appalachian Immersion Experience, with First Baptist Church, Middlesboro, KY, had their busiest summer with a number of teams coming to the Missions Center, working in the region, and learning about Appalachia. TFH Appalachia has been sending church mission teams in their direction.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined Appalachia Service Project as they dedicated eleven brand new homes for east Kentucky flood survivors. ASP has been built and repaired many more this summer.

Spike Hoech, with BetterFi, continues to help person trapped in payday loans. BetterFi is in need of many more referrals. We are trying to get the word out to as many churches as possible, of all denominations, to share with those who are trapped in these loans.

Emma Quire Mission Center has found grant money to purchase a covered trailer to be shared with Partnership Housing and other non-profits in the region. The trailer can be used to transport food pantry items, furniture, and more.

Lend-A-Hand Center has completed, and is utilizing, their new Food Pantry. A number of mission teams have visited this summer, some referred by TFH Appalachia, conducting children’s activities and helping renovate the chapel.

Pastors for Kentucky Children is joining the effort advocate for the defeat of an amendment on the ballot in November to allow public funds to spend for private schools. This would drain resources from already under resourced eastern Kentucky schools.