IMPACT
A GRATEFUL FAREWELL
When my journey as CAP’s president and CEO began 16 years ago, I was keenly aware that the organization had evolved since my initial tenure here from 1982 to 1985. Yet one core truth endures: CAP has always remained steadfast in our mission and core values of faith, service, and compassion.
I’ve seen CAP face numerous challenges impacting both the people of Appalachia and our methods of service. From the trials brought on by the Great Recession, through the unprecedented difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, to the repeated natural disasters of recent years, both CAP and the people of Appalachia have shown remarkable resilience. This strength has been possible thanks to people like you, whose compassion and generosity empower our mission; our dedicated employees, who show up every day and give their all; our volunteers, who selflessly answer the call to serve their neighbors; and our partners, who help expand our impact beyond what was once thought possible.
Through these collective efforts, more than just basic needs have been addressed. Encouragement has been fostered, comfort delivered, and a community of care created. As our founder, Reverend Ralph W. Beiting, often reminded us, CAP deals not only with physical poverty, but poverty of the spirit. This work brings hope, encouragement, and the assurance that no one is alone in the struggles they face. Together, a legacy of service has been built that uplifts and transforms lives throughout Appalachia.
Sitting at my desk shortly after stepping into this role, it became clear that this position was the something great to which God called me. Retirement from CAP is bittersweet, but it marks a chapter of life that will be remembered as its pinnacle. As the leadership transitions to a new president, optimism for the path ahead fills my heart. The foundation we built together is strong, and my confidence runs high that the incoming president and CEO, Jennifer Stolo, will bring fresh ideas and renewed energy to our mission. With the continued dedication of employees, volunteers, and faithful supporters like you, hopes are high that CAP will reach even greater heights and continue to create lasting change for the people served.
Please know how deeply you are cherished and appreciated for your enduring support of our mission. Your steadfast commitment and compassion have been the heart of this work, and gratitude is felt for every prayer, every gift, and every act of kindness shared. This transition is seen as a celebration of all that’s been accomplished together and a hopeful look toward the future.
As this journey continues, my spirit remains connected to you, with gratitude and prayers for your ongoing strength and blessings. Thank you for being such an integral part of this mission. Together, hope will keep being built, lives will be transformed, and Christ’s love will be shared through service in Appalachia.
In gratitude, Guy Adams
Keep Moving Forward
BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
In May, an EF-4 tornado tore through Laurel County, demolishing homes and causing widespread devastation.
Natural disasters continue to strike Appalachia, intensifying the many challenges people in the region already face. In response, Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) remains dedicated to providing critical aid during these times. Over the past year, CAP’s Disaster Relief and Operation Sharing programs have responded to numerous disaster events with the support of committed partners, helping our neighbors in need rebuild their lives and communities.
“We work in an area that is already poverty stricken, so having multiple disasters just creates more challenges and more poverty,” said Robyn Renner, director of CAP’s Disaster Relief program. “We are trying our best to move our region forward beyond these dark times. We would not be able to help these families without support from our faithful donors and our partners.”
Hurricane Helene
The fiscal year began with Hurricane Helene’s unexpected impact in the Southeast. CAP responded to the need for help in Eastern Tennessee, where historic flooding destroyed
communities. Because Eastern Tennessee is outside of CAP’s primary service area, we needed to collaborate with several partners to meet the significant need. While local emergency management agencies helped identify the most impacted areas, CAP employees and volunteers contributed more than 4,400 service hours, cleaning debris, removing damaged materials, and performing mold remediation for homes, some of which took on up to 7 feet of water.
Operation Sharing coordinated incoming donations nationwide. They sent 32 tractor-trailer loads of essentials like food and generators to affected communities in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. For the first time, CAP’s mobile classroom was also deployed to Eastern Tennessee, offering a space of fun and comfort to children impacted by disaster.
After the initial clean-up was complete, CAP partnered with Eastern 8, a local nonprofit focused on housing, to provide financial and logistical support for continued relief and recovery.
(Top left) Groups of volunteers evaluated the extent of damage in Eastern Tennessee after the area was flooded due to Hurricane Helene. (Bottom left) CAP Facilities employees, such as Mike Higginbotham, delivered emergency supplies and helped establish a command center to coordinate daily activities.
(Above) Heather Peters, a CAP Home Repair program caseworker, joined other employees and volunteers to remove debris and damaged materials from homes affected by the flooding.
(Above) After severe flooding struck Eastern Kentucky, CAP's Operation Sharing program provided crucial supplies to affected communities. (Below left) In an effort to help families avoid ongoing flood damage, CAP partnered with contractors to raise four homes above previous flood levels. (Below right) Volunteers repaired homes damaged by floods in Eastern Kentucky.
“When you have not experienced a disaster of this magnitude before, it’s hard to know what to do,” Renner said. “I am grateful we have been able to share what we know about the long-term recovery process with our partners in Tennessee so they can continue to help the community. Even a year later, there is still a great need in the area.”
Flooding
In February 2025, when a flash-flooding event overtook Eastern Kentucky communities, CAP was there. Our Disaster Relief team was on the ground, clearing debris and assessing and cleaning homes, while Operation Sharing delivered 30 tractor-trailer loads of essential items to affected communities in Kentucky as well as areas of West Virginia. CAP then redirected mission groups originally scheduled for regular home repair projects to assist with disaster relief.
“It was such a godsend for the mission groups to have already been scheduled to come, plus their willingness to change their plans,” Renner said. “The experience transformed the way many of these volunteers now view disasters.”
Partners such as Catholic Charities, the Diocese of Lexington, Appalachia Service Project, The Church of Latter-day Saints, and local emergency management agencies have provided crucial guidance and support during this disaster response as long-term recovery efforts continue.
So far, CAP has completed clean-up on 106 homes and major recovery on 16 more, with eight still on the waiting list. Because of generous gifts and continued efforts to protect families from repeat flooding, CAP was able to work with contractors to raise four homes above previous flood levels and relocate one home to higher ground on its property.
A few days after an EF-4 tornado hit Laurel County, William Jackson stood among the remains of his garage. CAP delivered food and essential supplies to his family.
“We would not be able to help families get back into their homes after a disaster if it weren't for the many hands that come together to volunteer.”
— Robyn Renner
Tornadoes
This year, Kentucky was struck by a series of tornadoes, including a devastating EF-4 in May that hit Laurel and Pulaski Counties. CAP’s Operation Sharing partnered with local churches, specifically Hart Baptist Church in Laurel County, and emergency responders to deliver essential supplies, sending 30 tractor-trailer loads to affected areas. Twenty CAP employees also volunteered on-site to distribute and deliver supplies and food to impacted families.
Disaster Relief also helped an elderly woman in Wayne County who is raising her grandchildren. After her home was impacted by straight-line winds from a nearby tornado, CAP provided financial support for repairs. Volunteers also helped a family in Rockcastle County whose home suffered damage from an EF-1 tornado.
Looking ahead, CAP is evaluating ways to strengthen disaster relief efforts, grow partnerships, and expand its
disaster response network to better serve Appalachia. The commitment of donors, volunteers, and partners remains central to these efforts.
“We would not be able to help families get back into their homes after a disaster if it weren't for the many hands that come together to volunteer,” Renner said. “We not only help with basic needs, but with building supplies and household items, like light fixtures, kitchen cabinets, and furniture. These things we take for granted every day, but when you lose everything you own in an instant, and you live in poverty, you have nowhere else to turn.”
She added, “Without all the support and help we receive, many of the families impacted by disaster would be homeless. I am grateful for each individual who continues to be a light for our neighbors in need during their darkest days.” n
Christmas Distributions
Thanks to the generosity of donors and dedicated partners, CAP programs organized festive Christmas events throughout Eastern Kentucky. Family Advocacy brought holiday cheer by hosting a special service and lunch as well as distributing gifts and hams to families. Operation Sharing partnered with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to supply toys to children affected by floods and tornadoes in 2025. The program held toy distributions at schools in Laurel and Pulaski Counties and provided toys to Family Resource Centers in Pike County.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
More than a Pantry Box
BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
CAP's Jackson County Food Pantry Coordinator Jenny Parker and community volunteer Mary Brockman walk armfuls of food out to a participant's car.
In a distressed community facing the compounding impacts of poverty and limited resources, Joyce Marks became a beacon of hope, touching and transforming countless lives throughout Jackson County. For 40 years, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to leading the local food pantry, serving residents with unwavering kindness, compassion, and tireless dedication every single day.
Prior to her passing in January 2025, Marks had begun a partnership with Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), ensuring her work with the food pantry would continue. Since the Jackson County Food Pantry transitioned to CAP in April, the organization has continued to grow pantry services to meet an increasing need for food. In just six months after the transition, the pantry increased its support from 400 families per month to serving 700 families.
Through generous donor funds, CAP is constructing a new 4,200 square foot pantry facility to continue fighting hunger and feeding hope in Jackson County. The new pantry will allow more space to provide additional services, operate more efficiently, and offer both a shopping experience for participants and a drive-thru option.
“We want to honor Joyce’s legacy by providing the same services in a way that she did with dignity and respect,” said Carolyn Lindsey, director of CAP’s human services programming in Rockcastle, Jackson, and McCreary Counties.
“She respected and loved her community, and we will honor that by doing the same. We will make sure that she is remembered.”
CAP broke ground on the new facility in September which is expected to be completed in early 2026. John Marks, one of Marks’ sons, is vice president of JMBA, Inc., the company responsible for building the new pantry. At the same time, CAP is building a new office facility adjacent to the pantry. This space will house CAP’s Family Advocacy, Elderly Services, and Home Repair programs in the county, offering a centralized location for people seeking services.
“We are here every day to empower people, to transform lives, and to share Christ’s love,” said Jenny Parker, one of Marks’ daughters and the pantry coordinator. “We do this every day through our pantry staff, our partners, and our volunteers who come to serve.”
“Our purpose each day is to uplift our neighbors in need and let them know someone cares for them.”
–
Jenny Parker
Local officials, CAP leadership, and members of the Marks family celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the Jackson County Food Pantry expansion. Pictured are Shane Gabbard, county judge/executive; Brian Gabbard, jailer; Mike Loiacono, CAP’s assistant vice president of human services; Guy Adams, CAP president/CEO; Libby Wasserbeck, manager of CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry in Mount Vernon and of the Jackson County Food Pantry; Mary Brockman; Ed Marks; Peter Marks; Jenny Parker, Jackson County Food Pantry coordinator; John Marks, vice president of JMBA, Inc.; State Rep. Tim Truett; and Carolyn Lindsey, CAP’s director of human services programs in Rockcastle, Jackson, and McCreary Counties.
Ground broke on the Jackson County Food Pantry expansion in September.
Each pantry box that leaves the Jackson County Food Pantry is carefully and lovingly packed with staple items like peanut butter, canned goods, meats, fresh produce, and dairy items. But the pantry meets needs beyond hunger.
“At the pantry, we strive to offer not just food but hope and encouragement to everyone who walks through our doors,” Parker said. “Each visit is an opportunity to show genuine care and help lighten someone’s burden.”
Parker remembered witnessing a remarkable transformation in one person’s life through the compassion this young woman received at the pantry last summer.
It was a humid 80-degree day. A car pulled up to the pantry, and she stepped out barefoot, walking across the gravel parking lot to the door without flinching. Her hair was uncombed, and her jeans and long-sleeved shirt were soiled. Parker welcomed her and asked if she needed services, but the woman only nodded and kept her head down.
When it was her turn to shop, the woman, seemingly in low spirits and embarrassed, only responded in a still small voice. But as her pantry box started to fill, she held her head higher and excitement filled her eyes. When she was offered a special treat, cake mix and icing, she said she hadn’t had a cake in a year.
“We finished filling her box, ensuring she had the essentials she needed,” Parker said. With her immediate
hunger addressed, the woman gratefully accepted a warm embrace from the staff and a prayer card. Prayer cards are given to program participants and offer uplifting messages from CAP’s compassionate donors.
As staff helped her shop, the young woman began to let down her guard. She shared that she didn’t even own a pair of shoes. “When I first didn’t have shoes, it really hurt my feet, especially the heat because of the summer,” she confided. “The hot blacktop was burning my feet. But now I think I’m getting used to it.”
But the staff were determined not to let her leave the same way she had arrived. With her need for food and spiritual blessing met, pantry staff focused on how to meet her physical needs.
Parker and her sister, Mary Brockman, who volunteers at the pantry, immediately reached out to a local thrift store and made arrangements for the woman to pick up a pair of shoes the following day. The woman was even more excited as she left the pantry.
“She went through the pantry door to the parking lot with a skipping bounce to her step across the uneven gravel,” Parker said. “Our purpose each day is to uplift our neighbors in need and let them know someone cares for them. We want to fill empty cupboards, and we also want to fill hearts with hope and dignity. We don’t want anyone to feel alone in the struggles they face.” n
212,742
50,770
50 U.S. States, 7 U.S. Territories, 4 Canadian Provinces, 1 Great Britain Region, 9 Other Overseas Countries or Territories Including: Indonesia, France, Spain, Malta, India, Phillipines, Vanuatu, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Islands
Hazel Green Food Project President and Founder Nicky Stacy has been a partner of CAP's Operation Sharing program for four years.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
BY DON SERGENT
During the past year, Nicky Stacy, president and founder of the Hazel Green Food Project, has seen how rising inflation, economic uncertainty, and a slew of natural disasters have ratcheted up the region’s need for food, building materials, and other essentials. Through her partnership with Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Operation Sharing program, she is helping to address the needs of her hometown and surrounding communities.
“Grocery costs have become so high, people are struggling to make ends meet,” said Stacy, whose nonprofit is headquartered in Wolfe County. “I see it just getting worse.”
The nonprofit, which has been an Operation Sharing partner for four years, has seen a consistent rise in the number of families it serves. They served around 300 families in 2022, but now they must stretch resources to serve more than 1,500 families.
As the demand for food, clothing, and other essential items continues to rise throughout Appalachia, Operation Sharing continues to respond to the need by delivering critical supplies to rural communities.
“Every item or dollar we receive is being put back into the communities we serve through our strategic partnerships,” said Ben Ridner, manager of CAP’s Operation Sharing program in Corbin. “Our partners make our impact possible by putting product in the hands of people who need it most. We are grateful for partners like Hazel Green Food Project, who serve our region alongside us. It takes us all to make a difference.”
In addition to the growing need for essential items, Aaron Thoms, manager of CAP’s Operation Sharing program in Paintsville, noted that the program saw record-breaking numbers this fiscal year, partly due to several natural disasters affecting the region, including Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, tornadoes in Kentucky, and February floods that impacted several Appalachian states.
“Our partners make our impact possible by putting product in the hands of people who need it most.”
– Ben Ridner
CAP's Operation Sharing program delivers essential items to a network of 1,500 partners in all 13 Appalachian states as well as two Ozark states, Arkansas and Missouri.
(Above) Stacy partners with CAP's Operation Sharing program managers Aaron Thoms (pictured) and Ben Ridner to receive and distribute essential items. (Top right) Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the project's distribution efforts. (Bottom right) In August, around 2,000 families were served during a distribution focused on meeting the needs of children in the area.
“When disaster strikes, we know we can rely on our partners to step up and help our neighbors in need through the distribution of critically needed items,” Thoms said.
Operation Sharing collaborates with a network of 1,500 organizations across all 13 Appalachian states in addition to two Ozark States, Arkansas and Missouri. Partner organizations include nonprofits, schools, churches, and community-based agencies. These partners are vital in identifying communities in need and determining which supplies will have the greatest impact.
As an Operation Sharing partner, Hazel Green Food Project receives food and other items through the program. “Our biggest challenge is finding food,” Stacy said. “If it weren’t for CAP, there’s no way we could distribute food the way we do.”
Stacy works with her network of local partners, including schools, to distribute these items. The essential items she supplies through Operation Sharing help ease school budgets, enabling them to allocate more resources to other vital services for children and their families.
In August, the nonprofit partnered with Operation Sharing and other local organizations to host a first-of-its-kind
community distribution focused on meeting the needs of children and preparing them for the school year. Operation Sharing delivered six tractor-trailer loads filled with items including hygiene products and air purifiers to support families in staying healthy as students returned to school.
“Many people in Eastern Kentucky live on a fixed income. Some items we may not think matter are a big deal to others,” Stacy said. “Anytime we have these types of items, we have a big turnout because the need is so great for essential items like hygiene products. Events like these take away a lot of stress from families who are struggling to meet and afford all of their basic needs.”
The distribution served around 2,000 families from at least 16 counties. Cars began lining up for the distribution at 3:30 a.m. Some people who came through the line drove 2 hours to wait in a line that spanned 2 miles long at the height of the event.
“People don’t go to those lengths to get these items if they didn’t need it,” Stacy said. “Without Operation Sharing, we would not be able to serve people in Eastern Kentucky like we do. We depend on Operation Sharing to help us fill that need. We are grateful for the donors who make CAP’s mission possible in our region.” n
Hunger Walk
CAP’s annual Hunger Walk raises awareness about food insecurity and collects food and funds to provide nutritious meals for children, families, and seniors in Appalachia. This year, the event expanded to Johnson Central High School in Paintsville through a partnership with Johnson County Schools. The 14th annual Hunger Walk drew about 3,225 participants across four walking locations and gathered 14,184 pounds of food. The food was distributed through CAP’s pantry network serving Rockcastle, Jackson, McCreary, and Magoffin Counties.
Shana Miller and Morgan Adams, caseworkers with CAP's Family Advocacy program, actively collaborate with Jackson County Schools and participate each year in the Back-to-School Bash.
Bridging the Gap
BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
The table overflows with vibrant folders, pencils, binders, crayons, backpacks, and other essentials at the Jackson County Back-to-School Bash. Children buzz around the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) table to pick out their supplies for the upcoming school year. But while their children happily choose their favorite folders or backpacks, many families in Appalachia quietly struggle to afford all the essentials. CAP’s School Readiness component through the Family Advocacy program is there to bridge the gap for families in need across Eastern Kentucky.
The Kentucky Retail Federation estimated clothing, shoes, and supplies for the 2025-2026 school year would cost $562 per elementary and high school age student. In August, 590 families attended the Back-to-School Bash, a community event to help equip students with essential school supplies and local services.
“One woman we met during the bash looked at me and said ‘You don’t know how much we appreciate this. It’s always needed, but we needed it more than ever this year,’” said Shana Miller, a caseworker in CAP’s Family Advocacy program for Rockcastle, Jackson, and McCreary Counties.
“We bridge the gap in the need,” added Morgan Adams, who serves as a caseworker alongside Miller. “There are a lot of families in need, and we are here to support them and the school districts we serve as much as we can.”
Miller and Adams collaborate with Family Resource Centers across the three school districts to identify what supplies are needed most to support students for the school year. Together, they partner with 15 schools and strive to ensure the Family Resource Centers are stocked with as many of these essential supplies as possible in addition to making them available at various back-to-school events.
“Whether through monetary support or the donations of supplies, our donors are critical to the work we do,” Miller said. “If it wasn’t for our donors, their generous gifts, and what the Lord has put on their hearts, we could not do what we do. They are living out CAP’s mission and giving hope to families.”
The caseworkers expressed their gratitude for a generous donor whose contribution of 100 backpacks this school year ensured that every student in need of one within their districts received it. They also commended two retired teachers from Alabama who make an annual trip to Kentucky to personally donate and deliver school supplies to local schools.
Although providing school supplies is a major focus of the School Readiness initiative, Miller and Adams also partner with Family Resource Centers to make sure students receive clothing, hygiene products, and other critical items that contribute to their success.
“The price of everything is going up, and families on fixed incomes are having to make hard decisions on how they spend their money,” Miller said. The caseworkers have seen a growing need for clothing this school year and try to provide three new outfits for each child that is referred to CAP.
“New school clothes can make a big impact on a child,” Adams added. “I’ve picked clothes for children who have
“We are here to be a friendly face and a constant support for the families we serve.”
– Shana Miller
never had new clothes for school before. Hearing them say ‘This means the world to me,’ makes me feel fulfilled in what I do.”
Sometimes, the Family Resource Center acts as a liaison between CAP and the family, while in other cases, CAP contacts the family directly after receiving a referral to assess their specific needs. Because of CAP’s wide range of programs, staff can also connect families with additional organizational resources, such as Christmas distributions, food pantry services, home repairs services, mental health counseling, youth programming, and more.
“We are here to be a friendly face and constant support for the families we serve,” Miller said. “At CAP, our impact is measured not just by number, but by the lives we touch and the meaningful relationships we build with our participants.” n
Miller and Adams participate in open house events at local schools, making sure that families and school resource centers receive the necessary supplies for a successful school year.
Toy Distributions
For the sixth year in a row, CAP’s Operation Sharing program partnered with Good360 and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to provide toys to Appalachian children during the summer. Along with Eastern Kentucky events, Operation Sharing held a community giveaway in Cherokee, North Carolina, for families affected by Hurricane Helene. At each event, families also received snacks, drinks, cleaning supplies, and other essentials. This partnership reached 12,843 children with toys and supported 2,420 families with essential items.
2
1
BY THE NUMBERS
3,000 people received critical, emergency, and familyoriented community services through the Family Advocacy program.
3,587 students received in-school curriculum, tutoring, mentoring, and leadership training.
14,442 participants received direct service through CAP’s human services programs in Eastern Kentucky.
2.2 million
individuals impacted by corporate gift-in-kind donations valued at $193 million and distributed by CAP's Operation Sharing program in 13 Appalachian states, plus the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas.
732 at-risk children received educational support through preschool, Infant/Toddler, Parents Are Teachers, and SPARK after-school program.2
1,419 people volunteered their time and talents to the mission of Christian Appalachian Project.
3 Jackson County Food Pantry transitioned to
428 homes repaired and/or rebuilt.1
128 participants received home visits, transports, and in-home respite in our Elderly Services program.
6,403 participants served at the Grateful Bread Food Pantry, Eagle Food Pantry, Jackson County Food Pantry, and Water Into Wine, CAP's pantry partner.3
363 low-income or atrisk family members received professional counseling services.
741 children attended summer camp.
CAP's Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Teen Empowerment Advocate
Cindy DeRossett joined an elementary school class to discuss emotional awareness and mental health.
Hope in Every Hallway
BY EMILY BRASHEAR
Through close partnerships with local school systems across Eastern Kentucky, Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) remains committed to supporting Appalachian youth and families, making transformative impact in their lives.
CAP’s Youth Empowerment Services (YES) helps Appalachian youth grow into confident, capable young adults through three components: summer camp, a Teen Leadership initiative, and in-school services.
“When I go into a classroom, I’m most passionate about life skills, communication, and mental health,” said Becky Clay, YES community educator in Johnson, Martin, and Floyd Counties. “I really love talking about that with the kids, and when sixth or seventh graders start opening up and sharing, that’s something special.”
YES employees and AmeriCorps members partner with teachers and administrators to build meaningful connections with students that last long after the bell rings.
YES AmeriCorps member
Sara Springle taught a series on character education to middle school students in Johnson County.
They tailor lessons to the unique strengths and passions of each student, providing consistent support and guidance every day.
“To have them open up in front of their peers, that’s a big compliment,” Clay said. “It lets me know that our content is working.” YES staff teach valuable lessons in bullying prevention, character education, leadership, life skills, and social-emotional learning.
The success of YES today is especially meaningful after the disruption of services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, during which YES met with classes virtually, offering classroom assistance and maintaining connections in a time of isolation. In this fiscal year alone, YES, in addition to other youth programs at CAP, provided in-school curriculum, tutoring, mentoring, and leadership training to 3,587 students.
“Getting back into schools after COVID was tough,” said Emma Griffith, YES coordinator. “Once you have a lapse in services, it’s hard to pick up where you left off.”
In response to the impact of the pandemic, CAP’s youth programs have transitioned to help children address
“Our students are learning to be stewards of themselves. They’re giving, they’re growing, and they’re learning to lead.”
– Cindy DeRossett
challenges both in academics and in social-emotional growth. Since students have returned to in-person learning, YES has been working diligently with teachers and administrators to meet them where they are and help them overcome challenges.
(Above) YES partners with schools in various projects, like a school gardening initiative. (Below) Becky Clay, YES community educator, works with students on life skills, communication, and mental health.
“We’re able to walk into a classroom, and teachers know we’re there to support their students,” Clay said.
“CAP’s in-school service is absolutely wonderful. It is a vital component in my classes,” said Paige Caudill, a middle-school life-skills teacher in Johnson County. “The YES team does a great job of engaging the students in meaningful lessons about coping skills, communication skills, and relationships.”
Caudill added, “Middle school is hard, and the programs offered by CAP’s in-school services help ease the daily challenges students face.”
One student, who is being raised by her great-grandmother, has been so influenced by YES that she’s asking about the classes she will need to work for CAP someday. “She wants to serve others just like she has been served,” said YES Teen Empowerment Advocate Cindy DeRossett, who works alongside Clay in Johnson, Martin, and Floyd Counties.
During local events, Clay and DeRossett engage in community outreach activities to raise awareness about YES among youth and families.
YES creates an engaging learning environment for students of all ages, whether leading sessions with kindergartners or discussing self-confidence with high schoolers. “We adapt to the school, the age group, and the community,” Clay explained. “No two classrooms are alike, and that’s the beauty of it.”
As the team looks ahead, they’re exploring new ways to nurture both minds and hearts. They’re growing connections in nearby counties and have joined schools in projects like a school gardening initiative that pairs hands-on learning with emotional growth.
Because of the compassion of donors and strategic partnerships, YES is empowering and inspiring Appalachian youth, helping them discover their voices and their strength.
“Our students are learning to be stewards of themselves,” DeRossett said. “They’re giving, they’re growing, and they’re learning to lead.” n
Summer Camp
Summer camp is a component of CAP’s Youth Empowerment Services. This year 741 children attended CAP’s two summer camps—Camp AJ and Camp Shawnee. Camp offers children a vibrant, engaging environment to learn, grow, and have fun. Campers participate in a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, sports, team-building exercises, and educational workshops. Each day is thoughtfully planned to encourage creativity, friendship, and personal development in a safe, supportive setting. Experienced counselors empower and inspire campers, ensuring every child feels included and valued.
AREA OF SERVICE
• Disaster Relief
• Eagle Child Development Center
• Eagle Food Pantry
• Elderly Services
• Family Advocacy
• Family Life Child Development Center
Sandy Valley Region
Cumberland Valley Region
• Family Life Counseling Services
• Grateful Bread Food Pantry
• Home Repair
• Jackson County Food Pantry
• Operation Sharing
• Water Into Wine Food Pantry partner
• Youth Empowerment Services
Floyd
Rockcastle
McCreary
Jackson
Martin
Johnson
Knott
Clay
Owsley
Magoffin
FY25 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Each member of Christian Appalachian Project's Board of Directors contributes significant amounts of time, talent, and charitable support to ensure we stay focused on our mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia. We are grateful for their service.
Bob Hutchison Board Chair Staffordsville, KY
Andrew Wegrzyn Vice Board Chair Clayton, MO
Guy Adams President/CEO Lexington, KY
Mark Barrens Louisville, KY
Alan Cornett Lexington, KY
Tammy Ball River, KY
Joyce Taylor Cummins Mount Vernon, KY
Laura Damron Pikeville, KY
Lula Bowling Ford Pikeville, KY
Frank Heaberlin Prestonsburg, KY
Holly James Lexington, KY
Kathy Kluesener Lancaster, KY
Rob Lawson Lexington, KY
Jonathan Lett, CPA Ashland, KY
Marty Preston Lexington, KY
Chris Tackett Ivel, KY
Tina Terry Pikeville, KY
Rebecca Whitenack Tyler Versailles, KY
Marc C. Whitt Lexington, KY
Judge B. Wilson, II Berea, KY
CAP Legal Counsel
Kyle Bunnell Lexington, KY
CAP Corporate Officers
Gloria Jordan Senior Vice President of Administration and Philanthropy Paintsville, KY
Owen Wright Vice President of Human Services Paintsville, KY
Phyllis Caudill Vice President of Philanthropy Lexington, KY
Brian Stiefel Chief Financial Officer Mount Vernon, KY
Lauren Weaver
Recording Secretary Mount Vernon, KY
Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555
1.866.270.4CAP (4227) capinfo@chrisapp.org
Christian Appalachian Project 310 Beiting Lane
Mount Vernon, KY 40456
1.800.755.5322 volunteer@chrisapp.org groups@chrisapp.org
