Christian Appalachian Project

This past Spring Break, I went on a service trip through the EIU’s Newman Center. I travelled to McKee, KY, to help with the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). It is a non-profit, Christian organization that aids people of all ages in the surrounding counties. Over 30% of the people living in the Appalachian area live at or below poverty level. The people are affected with poverty their entire lives and most do not get out of the cycle. The organization provides services of housing, elderly care, tutoring at the local schools, summer camp, disaster relief, and many more. It establishes the most vital needs to the community; several community members volunteer with CAP several times throughout the year.

I participated in Work Fest; this was the 20^th consecutive year of students from 40 different colleges joining together to make a difference. This is one of the main events for the organization. This year, the groups were assigned to different homes to do maintenance around the house. I was assigned to one house that needed soffit (found under the overhang on roofs) and new windows. The owner of the house was an elderly woman that was unable to attend to the issues. The amount of time necessary for these projects was extended due to the condition of the house. The group that I was assigned to consisted of people from eight different colleges; we were all meeting one another at the building site. (The picture is of Kerry D. and me cutting our 100^th piece of soffit.)

This service trip incorporated all types of people that would be considered disadvantaged; the teams interacted with children, teenagers, adults, and elderly. With each conversation or activity with the people, it was important to understand where that person is in their life. Some people were more open to the idea of sharing stories or helping on the projects, while others left their homes before the teams would arrive. With any job, it was imperative to keep the main goal in mind: serving the people of Appalachia to make their lives a little more enjoyable and healthier. (The picture includes everyone in my group.)

Throughout the week, we had meetings with the people in charge of the organization and long-term volunteers. It was very interesting to learn about the organization and people that we were serving on a deeper level. The compassion that the people had for the community members is reflective of the work that is done in the community; this desire to strive to meet the needs is contagious once we got to work.

To several of people in the area, this community provides them with a second chance of trying to get ahead in life. For the housing projects, the organization provides free labor and pays for part of the tools and materials. The people only have to pay about half of the total costs, and this amount is budgeted with a case worker. Also, the different facets of the organization benefit the community in different ways. All of these different sectors provide the community with the understanding that someone cares and provides hope that the future may be better.

This assignment is beneficial in the fact that it required me to relive part of the experience weeks after I have been back at school. The rewarding feeling of accomplishment and the eagerness to strive to be a helpful citizen tends to fade over time. Even scanning the pictures from the trip makes me want to help more people. It is important to have these experiences because one never feels quite the same once it has ended. I hope to continue to feel this compassion towards my clients and people that are in my community.

-Emily Brinkmann