Ministering to Our
Neighbors in Appalachia

by David Smart

“There needs to be a place where people can go [to get food] so that their kids don’t have to go hungry!” proclaimed Diane Roberts to a visiting group of Episcopalians. Roberts, volunteer director of Food/Life Services in LaFollette, was describing why felt the program had to exist.

Staff photo by David Smart

Diane Roberts, volunteer director of Food/Life Services in Campbell County, describes the operation of the organization’s emergency food program. Roberts is addressing a diocesan group that was visiting Campbell County to learn about outreach programs in the north east section of the diocese.

The group of visitors was made up of people from several churches in the diocese along with Bishop vonRosenberg and Carolyn Dicer, Bishop’s Deputy for Program. The group’s visit, hosted by St. Clare, LaFollette, was a first look at some of the outreach work that is being done in the north east section of our diocese. Many in the group will be members of an Appalachian Ministry Resource Team (AMRT) which is currently being formed.

One of the goals of AMRT is expected to be that of identifying existing programs and organizations which diocesan parishes and worship communities could work with in doing mission projects within our diocese as well as the greater Appalachian region as a whole. Food/Life Services is one such operation.

The program sprang from a county wide gathering of representatives from several churches of various denominations. The group as a whole decided that feeding the hungry of the area was a need that wasn’t being adequately met. The 11 churches which were involved in starting the program, St. Clare was among this group, has since been joined by over 10 more churches in supporting Food/Life Services.

All the work is done by volunteers and the funding comes from area churches and other unrestricted grants. “The whole community is involved, that is what makes it work,” said Roberts, “we make a difference here.”

The next program that the group learned about was Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC). Harry and Patricia Chase, who are volunteers with the organization and parishioners of St. Stephen’s in Oak Ridge, shared some observations and statistics with the group. Through research they learned that in one Campbell County community 97 percent of the residents live below the national poverty level and the county school system is near the bottom for funding in the state.

One program that was started by the Chases through ADFAC is that of supplying school supplies for some of the children who would otherwise have to do without. In some family a decision has to be made between buying school supplies or buying food Patricia told the group. “We have to focus on the children,” she said.

The ADFAC is also involved in helping people in Appalachia with housing. (See ADFAC on page 4 to read an example of how a family was assisted by this organization.)

These are two of the existing organizations that the Appalachian Ministry Resource Team will be looking at and talking further with as the team develops.

We look to the AMRT to assist us in finding ways for the diocese to show our “solidarity with the people of Appalachia,” said Bishop vonRosenberg.

by Harry Chase

Walter and Wanda Gibson and their two sons live in White Oak community, an area of Northern Campbell County Tennessee bordering Southeastern Kentucky. This area within the region known as Appalachia has become synonymous with poverty and coal mining. Walter has lived in his home for over 50 years.

Staff photo by Harry Chase

The Gibson family home was in critical need of repair when they contacted ADFAC.

The Gibsons are typical of families whose income is at a level that disqualifies them from many housing assistance programs. The Gibsons asked for help from Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties. They needed help in repairing the floors, windows and the roof of their home.

ADFAC’s Helping Hands Program provides home rehabilitation and new construction to economically disadvantaged homeowners in Anderson, Campbell, and Roane Counties utilizing volunteer and contract labor. In the summer of 1999, ADFAC was unable to rehabilitate the Gibson’s home because of numerous commitments. But, because of the criticality of the request, ADFAC’s Campbell County office sought help from Appalachia Service Project to carry out the project. Over a six-week period, a roof, windows, flooring, and kitchen storage work was done to the four-room home by ASP volunteers.

Harry Chase is a volunteer with ADFAC.