The Campaign for Christian Appalachian Project

By Grant Harned

As many people in our service area navigate the consequences of devastating severe weather events, deadly natural disasters, and recovery from a global pandemic, we are acutely aware of the ongoing challenges experienced by many Appalachian families. Yet, thanks to the strength and commitment of the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) community, of which you are an integral part, thousands of children and their families, seniors, and people with disabilities have access to basic services and resources when they need them most.

Our greatest inspiration remains the people and communities we are called to serve. Their resilience, their spirit, and their love, even amid challenges, invite us to dream big about what God has planned for this beautiful place.

RISE and Shine: The Campaign for Christian Appalachian Project is a three-year comprehensive campaign that aims to raise $95 million to fuel enhanced and expanded services for our participants and communities in the years ahead. The campaign is centered around four priorities: standing with Appalachian youth and families, meeting the most basic human needs, building strategic partnerships, and strengthening the heartbeat of volunteerism.

The RISE and Shine campaign is about seizing the immediate opportunities we have to grow as outlined in our strategic plan, while also continuing to serve our participants more and better through a comprehensive network of critical services. RISE and Shine is our largest and most ambitious philanthropic effort to date and will strengthen all of CAP’s human services programs to meet the evolving needs of the people and communities we are blessed to serve.

Under the excellent leadership of the Campaign Steering Committee, co-chaired by Brittany and Robert Lawson of Lexington, and with the support of CAP friends during the quiet phase that began in 2021, we have made tremendous progress toward our $95 million goal. By the end of August, CAP had achieved more than 82% of our goal before the campaign was publicly launched in October.

As we live out our mission each day, we are inspired to reach toward greater service milestones than we could ever have hoped to reach thanks to God’s providence and the generous response to RISE and Shine from CAP’s faithful partners like you.

For more information about RISE and Shine: The Campaign for Christian Appalachian Project, visit christianapp.org/rise-shine.