Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Networks of Local Appalachian Organizations Working for Progressive Change in the Mountains

(my apologies for not getting this posted sooner)

[Compiled by Chris Green, Director, Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, Berea College, February 16, 2014.  www.berea.edu/ac  Chris_Green@berea.edu]
Vincit qui patitur.

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The Appalachian Fund

The Berea College Appalachian Fund supports organizations working to improve the health, education and general welfare of people living in the Appalachian Mountains and surrounding areas.

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Brushy Fork Institute

The Flex-E-Grant (FEG) Program, designed by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), provides small investments in short-term projects that build community capacity to mobilize local resources, gain leadership experience, and strengthen community institutions and networks.  Brushy Fork has administered a portion of the KY ARC Flex-E-Grant program since 2008.  Working in collaboration with ARC and the Kentucky Department for Local Government, Brushy Fork has administered more than $1.2 million in program funds across 28 of Kentucky's distressed Appalachian axounties.  By the end of 2013, this investment will total more than $1.5 million.  From 2008 - 2013 the average grant awart totaled $7,593.

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Grow Appalachia

Grow Appalachia emphasizes food production in order to introduce as much no-cost, fresh, healthy food as possible to the region.  the basic goal is to help as many families grow as much of their own food as possible.  last year, Grow Appalachia worked with over 25 partner sites in 39 counties with more than 1500 families and 50 community gardens.  We were fortunate to feed 19,500 people growing over 1,151,000 pounds of food.  We facilitated 100 hobs in Appalachia and our participants sold more than $54,000 in produce.

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The Alliance for Appalachia

We are a regional alliance with the following goals:
1.  ending a devastating form of coal mining called mountaintop removal coal mining,
2.  putting a halt to destructive coal technologies, and
3.  creating a sustainable, just Appalachia.

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Central Appalachian Network

CAN and our member organizations are leading the charge in transforming Central Appalachia's economy by creating economic opportunities that are environmentally sustainable, building on our social and natural capital, and meeting the needs of our region's people.

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The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

The Claude Worthington Benedum foundation is a regional philanthropy focusing on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania.  The Foundation generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  The foundation makes grants in two program areas that span both states:  Education and Economic Development.  In addition, the Foundation supports Community Development and Health & Human Services grants programs in West Virginia, and in Southwestern Pennsylvania supports the major performing arts organizations within the Cultural District.

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Council of West Virginia Churches

The West Virginia Council of Churches makes more visible the unity of Christ's church, provides a Christian witness on public issues, and engages in cooperative mission and service for all West Virginians.  Respecting the traditions of denomination - while uniting to speak with one voice and to act with united hands - we carry the message of Christ's church into the public arena.  Over the years, the West Virginia Council of churches has been active in areas of social justice, health and economic issues, legislative issues and disaster response.

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The Appalachian Community Fund

The Appalachian Community Fund (ACF) is a publicly supported, non-profit grantmaking organization that provides resources and support to grassroots organizations working to overcome the underlying causes of poverty and injustice in Central Appalachia (East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and West Virginia).  We pool resources form a range of sources including individuals, businesses, and foundations to support community-led efforts and movement for social change, to support the training and leadership development necessary to strengthen the work in our region, and to cultivate the conditions for lasting, long-term change to be possible.

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Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC-WV)

While PAAC serves all communities, it intentionally targets African American communities in West Virginia.  The PAAC is a specific initiative driven organization focusing on community and individual well-being which involves both policy change and programmatic implementation.  The vision of the Partnership of African American Churches (PAAC) is to be an agent of empowerment as it relates to positive community change.  However, the vision that ultimately counts is not the essential vision of external forces but rather the vision that a community has for itself.  It is this self-determined vision that communities are willing to support and makes the necessary sacrifices to accomplish.  Nonetheless, experience has demonstrated that communities always need help in processing their visions into reality.

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Central Appalachian Regional Network

The Central Appalachia Regional Network (CARN) connects diverse organizations to promote policy and action to improve the quality of life available to the people of Appalachia.  The Central Appalachia Regional Network (CARN) envisions healthy and thriving communities throughout the region.  These empowered communities engage civic, public, and private institutions to create change, and ensure a just existence for all Appalachian residents.

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FAHE (Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises)


The service we provide is not a handout, but a helping hand that allows families in need a chance to obtain home ownership.  We offer this assistance in many ways, including providing affordable, low-interest loans.  These loans allow families to experience vast improvements in life such as heat in the winter, running water, and access to proper sanitation, which are not easy to come by in many rural Appalachian communities.  Fahe does not do this alone.  Our major strength is that we partner with 46 (and growing) non-profits across Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia to form a powerful network that brings about real change.  Fahe does not sit in the center of the network.  We are available as a resource to the Members and we help to sponsor events, such as our quarterly caucus meetings, but this is a supporting role.  The Fahe Network can be thought of as a web.  There are several lines of communication going from one organization to another.  Over time, all the organizations, including Fahe, have access to one another.  No one is acting as a middleman.  This leads to strong communication and strong collaboration across the network.  We trust and we depend on each other.

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​I hope you all find these links helpful, inspiring, and eye-opening.  Let me know what you think. Peace.

P.S.
​Doesn't this sound a little bit like our Garden:
"​can be thought of as a web [hub].  There are several lines of communication going from one organization to another.  Over time, all the organizations, including [Garden Source], have access to one another.  No one is acting as a middleman.  This leads to strong communication and strong collaboration across the network.  We trust and we depend on each other."  
Took the words right out of our collective mouth.

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