Volunteer Opportunities with Christian Appalachian Project

Christian Appalachian Project

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS Since Rev. Ralph W. Beiting founded Christian Appalachian Project (CAP ) in 1964, we have served the people of Appalachia by building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service.

“One thing I admire most about the people of the mountains is that they have the most remarkable determination to survive and prevail.”

REV. RALPH W. BEITING, CAP’S FOUNDER

REGIONAL NEED

 Transitional  At-Risk  Distressed

Source: Appalachian Regional Commission

Rev. Beiting heard a call to respond to the tremendous poverty he witnessed in Eastern Kentucky. He provided food, clothing, and other essentials. He also partnered with program participants, recognizing their inherent dignity and self-efficacy. Today, roughly 1,000 volunteers each year answer their own call to serve, providing for basic needs and contributing to long-term impact in participants’ lives.

At CAP, we’ve seen how service transforms lives, and we invite you to consider how you might serve for a week, a month, or even a year. We believe your life may be transformed as well.

CAP SERVICE AREA

 Primary County  Secondary County  Gap County

VOLUNTEER CORPS: ONE-YEAR

FIND YOUR PURPOSE “I heard an inner voice telling me that I should give it a chance,” she said.

“I applied, and here I am.”

Kathy Krause was looking for a new start. She had just retired after 44 years as a nurse when her marriage ended. When her sister needed her, Kathy packed up her home and moved to Kansas to help out. After two years, her sister no longer needed her, but she didn’t know what her next steps should be. That’s when an ad from CAP started appearing on her Facebook page. “Day after day that post kept showing up.

I heard an inner voice telling me to give it a chance,” she said. “I applied, and here I am.”

Kathy’s nursing career was spent in convalescent homes and rehab units so joining the Elderly Services Program was a natural fit. She takes elderly participants to medical appointments, runs errands, and spends time socializing with them. “It is such a joy and honor to

help them out, especially since they are healthy and living in their own homes,” she explained.

“I have the opportunity to help them be happy and feel safe and feel a part of life again.” Kathy said it is a gift to help them stay in their homes and she appreciates the opportunity to take them to visit friends or attend church services.

“Anyone who wants to learn more about love than you ever thought necessary, anyone who has a giving heart and a willing heart and wants to grow in God’s love should consider becoming a volunteer with CAP,” Kathy said. Her own faith has been strengthened by those she serves.

“I have been blessed with the opportunity to listen to stories about my participants and see how their faith is what got them through all the hard times.”

One-Year Volunteers are the foundation of CAP’s volunteer program. Our volunteers address issues such as education, poverty, hunger, substandard housing, and rural isolation while living in intentional community and making a commitment to spirituality and personal reflection. Individuals making a one-year volunteer commitment may be eligible to serve in CAP’s AmeriCorps program, which provides additional benefits.

VOLUNTEER CORPS: ONE-YEAR

SERVE WHERE YOU LIVE “Once you get involved with CAP, it’s like a second family and you don’t want to leave.”

Most One-Year Volunteers typically come from out of state, however, Josh Mullins, a Johnson County native, is a One-Year Volunteer and AmeriCorps Member from a primary service county served by CAP. Before becoming a volunteer, Josh was a particpant. After losing their home to flooding, his family moved into a new home built for them by staff and volunteers.

Since CAP has 16 direct human service programs, Josh has had many opportunities to serve in his local community. He has helped distribute gifts at Christmas, in the Operation Sharing warehouse, and in the Housing Program assisting in home repair as well as new construction.

Josh said he was surprised by the rapid bonding of volunteers in his cohort. “I did not expect to

develop such quick connections with my team,” he said. “We were challenged to work together throughout orientation which helped us grow both spiritually and personally.”

We love inviting people from all over the country to be a part of our mission, but we also value local participation, both for the gifts community members have to offer and for the skills and growth opportunities CAP provides. Through our partnership with AmeriCorps, a national service program, we are able to offer a larger living allowance to local AmeriCorps members and others who choose to live on their own.

“Once you get involved with CAP, it’s like a second family and you don’t want to leave,” Josh said.

One-Year Volunteers are eligible for a number of benefits including travel reimbursement, health insurance, scholarship and student loan assistance, and a living allowance. CAP provides room and board in homes where volunteers live in an intentional community. For those from the area, or those who do not wish to live in community, CAP is able to offer a larger living allowance to help offset expenses.

VOLUNTEER CORPS: ONE-YEAR

BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY “Spending the summer on the mountain was the best summer of my life, and I am so grateful I had the chance to experience the pure love and service that Camp Shawnee embodies.”

Each year, St. Anne’s-Belfield School brings its entire freshman class to CAP for YouthFest, an alternative spring break service trip in Eastern Kentucky. Emma Krall’s first YouthFest led to an unexpected journey.

That first trip she spent a week with classmates repairing homes. “That was my first experience with construction, and it was so rewarding because of the CAP team leaders,” Emma said.

When her church was looking for a location for their senior mission trip she suggested a CAP Service Trip. During that week she learned about other volunteer opportunities and Emma set her heart on returning as a counselor at a CAP camp.

“I knew right away that I would have an amazing experience,” she said. “It sounds dramatic, but my time at camp changed my life. I learned so much about myself, my faith, and what I wanted to do with my life. I am so thankful I had the chance to experience the pure love and service that camp embodies.”

During her first summer, Emma met a OneYear CAP Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps Member. After their conversation Emma immediately knew she wanted to spend a year serving at CAP after graduation.

“I am so happy that I am here,” she exclaimed.

“I’m so grateful for my first trip for showing me what an amazing organization CAP is.”

CAP is interdenominational and intergenerational, so our volunteer communities are a vibrant collection of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

For many volunteers, making a commitment to the pillar of spirituality means growing closer in their relationship with God. For others, this pillar manifests itself through personal reflection and growth. All volunteers are expected to participate in daily devotions.

VOLUNTEER CORPS: SHORT-TERM

STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN “One of the things I enjoyed the most was the conversations we would have in the evenings, whether they be silly or a devotional.”

Peggy Hess knew about CAP from her mom, who used to donate to the organization. After seeing a few posts on Facebook, she felt called to serve. She committed to be a Short-Term Volunteer and made her way to Appalachia.

the community. “One of the things I enjoyed the most was the conversations we would have in the evenings, whether they be silly or a devotional. I developed a lot of friendships and bonds with the people I met,” Peggy said.

Peggy served at CAP’s Foley Mission Center and had a hand in prepping meals for mission groups who came to Appalachia to serve on worksites. She also had a hand in CAP’s disaster relief efforts after historic flooding devastated Eastern Kentucky. Peggy served alongside CAP staff and volunteers to help with local efforts to support flood victims.

Through her role at Foley Mission Center, Peggy helped impact the lives of people in Appalachia. Her experience reassured her that God is always with us, and He is in the lead. She encourages others to have faith in Him and to find a way to serve or make an impact.

The most memorable part of her experience was the people she was able to meet, whether they were CAP staff, volunteers, or those in

“Coming from the Midwest, I was stepping into a lot of unknowns,” she said. “I’ve learned it’s OK. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and be open to what He has for you. That’s how we should live every day.”

Short-Term Volunteers serve anywhere from three weeks to 10 months in a variety of programs, including home repair, volunteer hospitality, and in our food pantries. Ask us about other placements if you have particular skills or interests. All Short-Term Volunteers receive room and board and reimbursement for travel expenses and some are eligible for AmeriCorps benefits, including a living allowance.

SKILLED AND SEASONAL VOLUNTEERS

INSPIRE YOUNG PEOPLE “Serving with CAP has been everything I hoped it would be.

I get to work with young people, which is grand.”

Volunteers Jack and Lynn Adams help CAP continue our mission with their special talents during WorkFest and YouthFest, alternative spring break programs for college and high school students. Jack serves as an assistant crew leader, guiding groups and volunteers on what to do, while Lynn leads the kitchen at CAP’s Foley Mission Center, feeding the hungry teams when they return after a long day of work.

her singing skills by distracting hospitalized children as she gave them respiratory therapy.

Lynn sees how hard it is for young CAP volunteers to be away from their parents, so Lynn goes the extra mile to make their stay enjoyable. “They are away from home … they aren’t able to run to mom and dad when they have questions and have to figure out things on their own,” Lynn said.

A longtime volunteer in his local community, when Jack learned about CAP and our mission, he immediately decided to come volunteer with Lynn. They have been faithful CAP volunteers ever since.

During WorkFest, Jack appreciates being able to interact and mentor the young people he meets on worksites. “These young people give up their break to make other people’s lives better. They are an impressive group to me,” Jack said. “Working with CAP has been everything I hoped it would be. I get to work with young people, which is grand.”

Lynn is best known for her quirky songs and sparkling personality in the kitchen. She honed

Skilled and Seasonal Volunteers serve for one week or longer as crew or kitchen volunteers as part of WorkFest, YouthFest, or Service Trip Season.

These placements are available from March through October each year. In addition to individual placements, some volunteers bring friends or church members to volunteer alongside them in the kitchen.

SUMMER CAMP VOLUNTEERS

CAPTURE MAGICAL MOMENTS “I am grateful for this opportunity to use my skills in a way that can have an impact on the lives of children.”

Liz Anderson spent a summer volunteering in the Appalachian Mountains with a mission: to use her experience as a content creator to capture the summer camp experiences of young people that live in poverty in Eastern Kentucky.

“I think Camp AJ is a magical place where kids can have fun and have an ultimate summer camp experience,” said Liz, who served at CAP’s residential summer camp in Jackson County, Kentucky. “The campers are excited when they first arrive, happy throughout the week, and appreciative of the time they spent at camp.”

Liz captured joyful moments in video and photographs and then posted content on Camp AJ’s social media account. This gave families a

unique window into their children’s lives while they were away from home.

Liz Phelps, manager of Camp AJ, is grateful for Liz’s help in capturing the magical moments of camp. “The children we get to host each year come from some very difficult economic situations. Our goal is to provide a week that allows them just to be kids, where we can build healthy relationships that will impact them for years to come.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity to use my skills in a way that can have an impact on the lives of children,” said Liz. “I am glad the images I captured could help provide peace of mind to parents and guardians that their children were okay and having fun each week.”

Summer Camp Volunteers are needed at our two summer camps in Eastern Kentucky. We are in need of camp counselors (3 weeks+), medical personnel – RNs, LPNs, or EMTs (1 week+), social media/content creators, arts and crafts leaders, and kitchen crew. Many of these placements are AmeriCorps eligible (6 weeks+) and include a living allowance, travel reimbursement, room and board, and an education award.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS

SHARE APPALACHIA “Everyone should be able to volunteer with CAP for a week just to see what goes on where I live.”

Eddie Boyd is proud of his Eastern Kentucky roots. He is the son of a coal miner and worked in the mines himself for 41 years. Eddie only knew CAP’s name for several years but is now part of the mission, serving as the hands and feet of Christ as a Community Volunteer.

Eddie works with incoming volunteers who come to Appalachia to help CAP’s home repair staff make substandard houses safe, warm, and dry. Many of the volunteers have no prior experience in construction and Eddie teaches them the necessary skills needed to make repairs. “I am amazed at the volunteers who come in,” Eddie said. “I have served with people who have never held a hammer before. They were surprised at how quickly they learned the skills and enjoyed their experience.”

His favorite part about serving with groups is sharing the rich culture of Appalachia. He is always excited to share stories of his time coal mining, talk about regional foods, and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. “A lot of people have been misled about what Appalachian Kentucky is like,” Eddie said. “They are amazed to come here and experience the mountains. To have met the people at CAP and the participants, they really see what Eastern Kentucky is about.”

Eddie said that serving as a volunteer with CAP can change your life. “Everyone should be able to volunteer with CAP for a week just to see what goes on where I live,” Eddie said. “I’ve made a lot of new acquaintances doing what I do and they are all good people. I would encourage anyone to volunteer.”

Community Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals and groups who live in our service areas. What might that look like? Once a week: steaming clothes or packing backpacks with food for children. Once a month: packing commodities for seniors. Seasonally: cooking for groups, volunteering at camp, serving at the Christmas Store, and repairing homes.

On call: Disaster Relief. You can even serve full-time in our Volunteer Corps!

ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK

CREATE A TRADITION “To see the young people from St. Anne’s-Belfield coming here... it has just been extraordinary.”

St. Anne’s-Belfield School participated in CAP’s YouthFest as a part of Doug’s Trip, in honor of their classmate, Douglas Wardle. At his school he advocated for service learning and realized that these efforts helped build school community as well as assist others.

During a service trip to Nicaragua to build houses in 2007, Douglas collapsed and later passed away from a brain aneurysm. His senior classmates dedicated their class gift to the freshman class: Doug’s Trip. Each year the seniors continue this cherished tradition.

YouthFest is an alternative spring break that offers high school students a chance to have a hand in making homes safe, warm, dry, and accessible. Groups like St. Anne’s-Belfield School

build ramps, replace siding and windows, install drywall, and paint. WorkFest offers a similar experience for college-aged students.

The students at St. Anne’s-Belfield saw the impact of their work when a participant had a medical emergency. Because of the ramp they built, emergency medical professionals were able to reach the participant quickly and safely.

“What’s incredibly special is that there are things that happen that remind us of our son Douglas,” said Bill Wardle, his father. “He wanted to right the wrongs. He wanted to fix things. He wanted people to respect others. To see the young people from St. Anne’s-Belfield coming here and seeing some of those same things [in them], it has just been extraordinary.”

CAP’s alternative spring break service trips for college and high school students run in March and April each year. YouthFest (for high school students) and WorkFest (for college students) create an opportunity for students to be a part of essential projects. CAP provides meals and lodging, jobsite leadership and evening programming to enhance students’ appreciation for, and understanding of, the region. No experience is necessary!

SERVICE TRIPS: CHURCHES

ANSWER THE CALL “The experience of giving of yourself and your time to help others is one of the most rewarding things one could do with their time.”

Since 2019, God’s Way Church has fulfilled Jesus’s call to love one another by serving people in need in Appalachia. “When we first came to CAP it was our intention to change the lives of the participants for the better, and we did,” said group member Barry Ballew. “But the biggest takeaway was how much it challenged each of us on the team to be more like Jesus.”

During the group’s first year of service, teams made an impact on two families while remodeling their homes. The second year the group came back and made repairs to the home of another grateful family.

During Barry’s mission trip experience at CAP, he became close with a participant family while working on their home. He invited them to

Family Night, an event hosted by CAP for mission groups and the participant families they serve, and over the time they shared, Barry realized they had a lot in common.

Members of groups who want to be a part of CAP do not have to have experience or tools to volunteer. CAP provides needed safety equipment, tools, and teach groups how to use tools and perform needed repairs.

“The experience of giving of yourself and your time to help others is one of the most rewarding things one could do with their time,” Barry said. “The staff at CAP do an excellent job of making sure each team that comes to serve has everything they need to get a lot accomplished while they are there.”

CAP welcomes churches seeking domestic mission trips, businesses looking for team building opportunities, social clubs wanting to give back, and even groups of friends searching for a meaningful way to connect on vacation. Whether you are a group of five or 20, your service trip can make homes safe, warm, dry, and accessible for our participants. Service trips with CAP make for impactful experiences.

SERVICE TRIPS: BUSINESSES

BUILD CULTURE “Part of our vision is to build compassion and generosity into the core of our culture and one of the best ways to do that is by giving our employees an opportunity to get involved and be engaged.”

The staff of MEI Total Elevator Solutions say their experience with CAP has been life changing. Over the years, multiple teams of MEI employees have traveled to Kentucky to take part in CAP’s mission.

“A part of our vision is to build compassion and generosity into the core of our culture and one of the best ways to do that is by giving our employees an opportunity to get involved and be engaged,” said Coralyn Musser, director of outreach and engagement. “Jesus commanded us to simply love God and love others – and we are doing this through our trips to CAP.” MEI has helped CAP make repairs to Appalachian homes by building decks and railing systems, installing windows and doors, painting,

and so much more. Throughout their weeks of service, MEI employees serve, laugh, and form bonds and friendships with their team that cannot typically be made during a workday.

Because of partnerships with corporations such as MEI, CAP can continue to meet the needs of seniors, children, and their families.

“MEI supports CAP’s mission financially because we truly believe in the work that they’re doing and the people they serve,” Coralyn said.

“All of the employees, staff, and organizational leadership we have met have been good stewards of our donations. I can truly say they are genuine; they are loving, they are strong people of faith and it has just been a blessing to be able to meet them and work alongside them.”

Service Trip groups can be anywhere from five to 30 members in size.

All volunteers must be at least 14 years of age. They will arrive on Sunday, serve Monday through Thursday, and depart on Friday. Groups contribute a participation fee as part of their commitment to CAP’s mission. The fee also pays for many of the materials used for repairs as well as jobsite leadership. Please contact us for special rates for local groups.

“Our volunteers come, not because they feel they are better than those they help, but because they realize that we are all brothers and sisters.”

-Rev. Ralph W. Beiting, founder of Christian Appalachian Project

Apply today by scanning the QR code or at our website christianapp.org/apply-now

310 Beiting Lane, Mount Vernon, Kentucky 40456 Website: christianapp.org/volunteer By Phone: 606.256.0973 Email: volunteer@chrisapp.org /chrisappproj To support CAP with a donation please visit bit.ly/GiveToCAP

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