The Food Issue - The Mountain Spirit Fall/Winter 2017

CAP’S INNOVATIVE & MULTIFACETED RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER IN APPALACHIA

Of all the shared resources that shape and de ne families, communities, and regions, there is perhaps none more poignant than food. e manner by which food is produced, distributed, and acquired forms the landscape. Particular avors, spices, and aromas have the power to elicit memories of people and places, certain dishes can transport souls to distant lands and times, and common recipes can unite and bind communities and people groups to one another. Eating is often a joyous occasion and the preparation of food can be an act of service, hospitality, and pleasure. Food is so much more than mere sustenance – its role in our lives is formative, foundational, and even spiritual.

For some families and communities, however, the scarcity of food can be a source of pain, stress, and isolation. Hunger is an all-consuming issue for people in its grasp. In a nation so richly blessed with an abundance of food, there is still a remarkably sizable portion of the population who struggle with food insecurity – particularly in the Appalachian region. e reality that hunger continues to be so pervasive is an issue that demands a thoughtful and urgent response.

Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) is responding to hunger in Eastern Kentucky with a multitude of approaches. is issue of e Mountain Spirit seeks to highlight just some of these approaches that are building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love with people in need in Appalachia. Working alongside public schools, CAP is ensuring that students are fed on weekends through the Backpack Program (pg. 12). In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CAP is delivering meals directly to children in food-insecure homes throughout the summer (pg. 24). rough its Garden Seed Program, CAP is empowering and equipping resourceful individuals with the assets to produce food for themselves and their community (pg. 20).

CAP understands that food is about more than just sustenance, so all of the organization’s e orts to address regional hunger seek to move beyond physical nourishment. When CAP feeds people in need, it is not transactional – it’s relational. At CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry, which serves as a major food hub for the surrounding area, employees and volunteers take the time to “shop” with every participant, often sharing stories, recipes, and cooking tips (pg. 28). When long-term volunteers cook for one another every evening, they are enveloping one another in an expression of love, servanthood, and community (pg. 6).

Each of these stories of faith, service, and compassion is made possible by your prayers, nancial gifts, volunteerism, and partnership. You have set a large table to which CAP is able to invite more and more hungry people. It is gathered around this table that we are made whole, through the food we share, the stories we tell, and the needs we meet. Because of you, this table will continue to grow ever larger.

Blessings,

Spirit

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Clay Lester

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tina Bryson, Clay Lester

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tina Bryson, Clay Lester, CONTACT US

By phone: 859.269.0635

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Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

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Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

Clay Lester

Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director

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faith

EXPRESSIONS OF SERVICE, COMMUNITY, & SPIRITUALITY AROUND THE VOLUNTEER DINNER TABLE

ey devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was lled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. – Acts 2:42-44 (NIV)

Hands clasped to form a chain around the table, attendants hailing from various regions of the country collectively inhale the savory aroma of tomato sauce wafting from the kitchen. A spirit of familiarity imbues the gathering, though these individuals have only recently been introduced. In front of each person is a simple place setting, with plates and glasses representing the blank slate out of which the meal will unfold. Glances and warm smiles are exchanged and, as if choreographed, all eyes close and each head bows. e group prays.

After the prayer, each person lifts their plate and les into the adjacent kitchen, one-by-one so as to not overwhelm the compact space. Spaghetti noodles are scooped onto the plates from a large colander before being covered with a simmering red sauce. All take care to leave space for the salad and bread already placed at the table. ere is an air of playfulness and harmony throughout this whole process – lighthearted jokes building to laughter building to words of gratitude

and so on. By the time everyone returns to their places around the table, smiling faces re ect warmth and closeness. ere are no strangers at this table.

"DINNER ISN'T JUST DINNER – IT ABSOLUTELY IS A COMMUNITY. IT'S TIME TO BE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND BREAK BREAD, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, TOGETHER.”

is earned kinship centered around a family-style dinner is not unfamiliar to anyone who has lived as a volunteer in intentional community at Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). is is a typical scene at every CAP volunteer house – four nights a week, every week, to be exact – and is one of the cornerstones of the long-term volunteer experience. Woven within the bers of this practice of breaking bread together are the three pillars of the Volunteer Program: service, community, and spirituality. e bread broken this particular evening is around the table at the Mount Vernon Volunteer House.

“I like to cook, but it's a little di erent here,” explains Sarah Harp, a Bu alo, N.Y. native who is halfway through her year of service with the Family Life Child and Family Development Center (CFDC). “At home, it would usually be my mom cooking and me helping her, but I've always liked cooking. My main thing was trying to nd new things to make, because whenever I did cook at home it was so infrequent that it didn't matter if I cooked the same thing every time. When I came here I didn't want to cook the same thing too much in a short period of time, so I’ve been trying to nd new things to cook.”

At the Mount Vernon House, the four current volunteers have decided to try a new system in which each person has an assigned night of the week to prepare the meal, so planning and coordination is essential.

Harp continues, “We have a limited food stipend per day, per person. We combine these funds for the whole month, for four people. Each week, everyone adds their ingredients to our house shopping list and we make a grocery run. We have to budget and plan our shopping very carefully, and we stick to o -brand products unless there are sales. We buy big jars of peanut butter because in the end it's cheaper than buying little ones every

other week or so. My Dad always taught me to look in the left corner of the price tag to nd the cost per unit, rather than just considering the larger product price.”

"THIS IS HOW I CAN SHOW LOVE TO MY HOUSEMATES – BY PREPARING A MEAL FOR THEM."

“Because we're on a budget we try to keep the meals simple. Nothing extravagant,” interjects Ohio native Sam Harris, who is also six months into her year of service at Family Life CFDC (and the chef on this night). “We try not to buy something that only one person will use for one meal – we really do have to coordinate what we’re all planning to cook in advance. And we have to be careful to check our pantry closely before we shop and build our meals around what’s already available in the house.”

e tight constraints of a limited budget play a signi cant role in the types of meals the volunteers tend to prepare.

Harris o ers some insight into this reality. “We eat a lot of chicken cause it's a more a ordable meat. We usually buy a big bag and keep it in the freezer –apart from the occasional pound of ground beef, it’s become the staple protein in our meals. And pasta is very a ordable and o ers some variety. We always get bananas too, because we know everyone in the house eats them and they’ll never go to waste.”

“We look for items on sale whenever possible and adjust our menu based on that sometimes,” adds Harp.

Serving and living in a region challenged with inordinately high food insecurity rates, a diet determined by thrift is the norm rather than the exception. at volunteers learn to operate and feed one another on this level of economy provides them some additional perspective when interacting with participants struggling with hunger issues. Helena Gallant, from New Britain, Pa., is just beginning her year of service in CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry and she is already discovering these connections.

“ e last few days, I’ve just found myself relating to the participants much more. And I grew up on a lot of the foods we eat here in the house and the foods we distribute through the food pantry. I mean, I grew up on things like Hamburger Helper, so it’s not a stretch to

share recipe ideas with the people picking up food. It’s a way we can relate to one another on a human level,” describes Gallant.

“I think I’ve learned to appreciate food much more in my time here,” Harp re ects. “I never really thought about food growing up -- my mom just made it. I always came home to dinner on the table. But when we worked with the Summer Feeding Program I realized that there were some kids who were just not getting food when they weren’t being fed by the school and I was stunned. Because as a child, I was always used to dinner just…being there, you know?”

"YOU CAN JUST MAKE DINNER OR YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING MORE THAN THAT."

is newfound focus on food – its cost, its preparation, its scarcity, and its value – has a way of connecting volunteers at a deeply human scale with the communities in which they serve. It also tends to build, enhance, and undergird the volunteer community itself. ere are few endeavors as intimate, and almost sacred, as breaking bread with one another.

“When we have community dinners,” Harp explains, “or when I have to cook for other people, I try to learn what everyone enjoys so I can factor that in to whatever I plan to make. Like, I know Sam eats a lot of kale and really likes broccoli, so I try to incorporate that in as many ways as possible. It's a combination of bringing what you like into a meal and making sure other people will like it too. So there's thought that goes into it. I remember one dish I kind of wanted to make, but I didn’t think anyone else would really enjoy it, so I didn't make it.”

Maria Hartz, a volunteer from Guilderland, N.Y. who will be serving with short-term volunteer groups, chimes in, “Oh, I'm not good at cooking for just myself. I prefer to cook for other people. I grew up in a very large Italian family, so cooking for one was not something we ever did. To be able to say, ‘Oh, you're cooking for 20? en invite some more friends’ – that was our mentality. I'm always happy to have more people here. Dinner isn't just dinner – it absolutely is a community. It's time to be with one another and break bread, literally and guratively, together.”

“As far as preparing food,” Harp explains, “it also gives us the opportunity to help one another. Because Sam was on top of things tonight she didn't need any help,

So, I think it's cool to help each other. You're not in it alone when it's your night to cook.”

Jenny King, CAP Volunteer Life manager and tonight’s dinner guest at the Mount Vernon House, o ers some insight. “I'll say for myself, because I do eat with the volunteers a lot and was also a volunteer, it makes you less sel sh. In the way that you're eating what someone has prepared for you – and I am very Southern so I would be too polite to not eat something that someone served me – you understand the work that was put into making that meal. And some people just have no experience cooking, so it's a big deal that they found a recipe and cooked it for you. I'm just more appreciative of what goes into a meal.”

Each evening following the meal, after everyone has cleared their plate and assisted with kitchen cleanup, the housemates retreat to their shared living space to engage in a time of devotion with one another. is time is also planned by the person who prepared that night’s food, so there is a thread of continuity from the supper to the spiritual. But this particular evening, the conversation turns toward matters of faith before anyone leaves the table, underscoring the signi cance of this shared practice of nourishing both the body and the soul.

“ is is how I can show love to my housemates – by preparing a meal for them. I’m preparing a devotion

for them. It's something very rare and real and physical and it’s a way to say, ‘Yes, I made this meal for you. I love you. Have a great night.’ Just being a servant to one another and expressing that within community is very real,” describes Hartz.

Harp adds, “You can just make dinner or you can make something more than that. You can be lazy about your preparation or you can make something that you're really excited about making for your housemates. But ultimately I think it’s more than the food – it’s the conversation that’s had and connections that are formed around the meal that really give it a spiritual element.”

“And of course, there's prayer. We pray before every meal,” Harp continues. “I feel like that’s an obvious thing, but prayer is a big part of our dinner routine. We do it every time.”

As the dinner comes to its close, King contemplates the signi cance of this and every volunteer meal. “Something I think about a lot personally is the idea of church. And I think, barring things like sacraments, some of what we do around this table is church. You are praying together. You are breaking bread together. It looks very much like the church of Acts 2, which we'll be reading together tonight in devotion. Just sharing all things in common, serving one another and people in need, sharing all these pieces of one another that create a community. I see Jesus' example re ected when I sit at this table.” n

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service

PACKED WITH CARE n

CLEAN PLATE CAMPERS n

A SEASON OF ABUNDANCE n THE MEALS ON THE BUS GO ‘ROUND & ‘ROUND n

PACKED WITH CARE

CAP IS WORKING ALONGSIDE LOCAL SCHOOLS TO FEED CHILDREN IN NEED

“It is hard for many of us to truly understand what it is like to be hungry,” shares Molly Craig, an eighth-grader at Rockcastle County Middle School, addressing the crowd at CAP’s Sixth Annual Hunger Walk. “Do you know that there are students who even sneak food from the lunchroom some days to take home to their siblings who aren’t old enough to go to school?”

e jarring reality that Craig describes is unfortunately an all-too-common one for many children in Eastern Kentucky. e number of students on free or reducedprice lunch plans in Rockcastle County is high enough that the district quali es for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision, which enables schools to o er a free nutritious breakfast and lunch to every student. While this provision is a step toward addressing the issue of childhood food insecurity in the area, it is still not enough to guarantee that children have access to the food they need when not at school.

“IT’S TOUGH. WE HAVE KIDS WHOSE FAMILIES DON’T HAVE RUNNING WATER. WE HAVE KIDS WHO DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO FIND THEIR NEXT MEAL. IT’S JUST SO SAD.”

Elementary School. “So much of my job here has not been what I expected. When you interview for a principal’s job, you think of things like test scores and curriculum. In reality, at least here, it’s about much more than those things. It’s dealing with student custody issues, making sure they have adequate clothing, and trying to ensure that they are getting all the nutritious food they need.”

If a child is in a situation where they are foodinsecure, it’s a long two days between Friday afternoon and Monday morning – and those two days can a ect more than just the weekend.

“MENTALLY, IF A CHILD IS WORRIED THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE FOOD ON THE WEEKEND, THEN THERE’S NO WAY FOR THEM TO BE ENGAGED COMPLETELY IN THE CLASSROOM.”

“Mentally, if a child is worried that they may not have food on the weekend, there’s no way for them to be engaged completely in the classroom,” explains Regina Hull-Brown, Family Resource Center coordinator at Mount Vernon Elementary. “ ey shouldn’t be worrying about being hungry on the weekend – no child should have to be anxious about that sort of thing.”

Food insecurity can have a signi cant impact on the academic achievement and potential of children, from behavioral and developmental problems to chronic

“It’s tough. We have kids whose families don’t have running water. We have kids who don’t know where they’re going to nd their next meal. It’s just so sad,” acknowledges J.D. Bussell, principal of Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon Elementary School

Members of the community participating in the Sixth Annual Hunger Walk.

persistent food insecurity and reading comprehension skills, as well as social skills development. Apprehension about the availability of food can become a psychological or emotional stressor that in uences far more than a child’s physical health. It can present a barrier that hinders a student’s ability to ourish in all aspects of their life.

Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), along with partner schools and organizations in the county, including Mount Vernon Elementary, joined e orts to tackle this problem head-on. rough the Backpack Program, CAP provides weekend meals and snacks to children who may otherwise go hungry. For students in need of the supplemental nourishment, teachers discretely place the food packs in the children’s backpacks on Friday afternoons.

“Every week, we pack somewhere in the range of 90 meal bags for the children,” explains Carolyn Lindsey, manager of CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry. “ e packs include three suppers, two breakfasts, and two lunches. We try to get things that have the pop top tabs on them – things that don’t require a can opener to get into, because sometimes these kids are home alone and having to feed themselves. We try to make it as easy, safe, satisfying, and nutritious as possible for them.”

“WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY, SAFE, SATISFYING, AND NUTRITIOUS AS POSSIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN.”

e relationship between CAP’s food pantry and the local schools began at a time of critical need.

“We tried to get this program going years ago, but we just couldn’t. I mean, I did what I could with the resources we could get,” Hull-Brown describes. “ en CAP jumped in and that was such a blessing. Because CAP is so consistent – I know that I’m getting a baseline number of meals every single week.”

Because of CAP’s broad pool of resources, compassionate donors, and the dedicated employees and volunteers at the food pantry, the organization has been able to champion the Backpack Program in ways that no other local organization could. e food pantry is uniquely equipped with full-time sta , a constant in ux of food donations and supplemental items from CAP’s Operation Sharing warehouse, and the space to stage the prepping of a large quantity of meal packs. CAP’s capacity to act as the core of the Backpack Program has created a generous bond between the organization and the community schools.

“Community partnerships and consistency – that’s it. at’s what it takes for these kids to feel successful and to be successful. ey understand that there are people here at their school and organizations like CAP that

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Regina Hull-Brown, Family Resource Center coordinator at Mount Vernon Elementary.

Food pantry volunteers assemble meals for the Backpack Program.

STUDENTS FEEDING STUDENTS

Sorting through a mountain of pop-top meals, juice boxes, crackers, and pop tarts, a group of students in Lexington, Ky. found a way to connect with elementaryaged children in need in Eastern Kentucky. is past May, Christ the King School partnered with Christian Appalachian Project to pack weekend meal backpacks.

“ e service project really resonated with our students,” said Kaire Boneau, the teacher who chaperoned the students. “At Christ the King, we strive to provide opportunities for our students to live out Matthew 25. We want to get them out of the school building so that they can see the face of Christ in others.”

Matthew 25 teaches Christians to champion people in need: feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.

“We wanted our students to see that when they work together they can accomplish a lot. It is the principle

of ‘many hands make light work.’ When they combine their e orts, they can make a di erence,” Boneau added.

Each week, Christian Appalachian Project’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry packs around 90 backpacks that are distributed through Rockcastle County Schools to children in need in Appalachia. Christ the King students wrote hand-written notes of love and encouragement for each child receiving a backpack – children who may not otherwise know from where their next meal is coming when they’re away from school. e Backpack Program provides healthy meals and snacks to supplement and sustain these students every weekend.

“I volunteered at CAP when I was in high school,” remembered Boneau. “ e work of Christian Appalachian Project has endured for more than 50 years. I am glad to see the work continue to transform the lives of children and their families. It’s a blessing for our students to join in that work.” n

value them and care about them. ey feel special and that makes all the di erence,” expresses Hull-Brown.

In addition to the weekly snack packs, CAP is responsive to any special needs identi ed by the Family Resource Center and is able to deliver items like clothing, baby food for younger siblings, or extra food provisions. Hull-Brown, Bussell, the teachers, and even the cafeteria sta of Mount Vernon Elementary are very attentive to the potential needs of their students who may not recognize or voice their own lack of resources, and they know CAP is a constant partner on whom they can call.

“THIS ORGANIZATION IS UNBELIEVABLE. I DON’T WANT TO IMAGINE WHAT THIS COMMUNITY, THIS SCHOOL, WOULD BE LIKE IF CAP WEREN’T HERE.”

Bussell adds, “ is organization is unbelievable. I don’t want to imagine what this community, this school, would be like if CAP weren’t here.”

For Bussell, the connection to CAP is personal – his family were parishioners of CAP-founder Rev. Beiting’s church in Mount Vernon and he was even baptized by Beiting. In part because of this close relationship to the organization and in part because of the association forged through the Backpack Program, Bussell and his

Sixth Annual Hunger Walk, the school, along with other area schools, spearheaded a canned-food drive to bene t CAP’s food pantry. e school also participated in the walk, bringing almost 450 students whose enthusiasm and excitement for the event highlighted the community-wide impact made by the food pantry.

“We are blown away every year by the support we receive from the community,” says Lindsey. “ e city, the surrounding communities, and especially the local schools have become such vital partners and advocates for us, year after year. And we are advocates for them. ese relationships have helped this event to grow and when we come together for the walk, it reminds us that tackling the issue of food insecurity in our community and schools requires all our e orts and coordination.”

Craig, concluding her remarks on behalf of the children of Rockcastle County to the crowd at the Hunger Walk o ers both a challenge and a word of encouragement. “We may not always be able to help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” n

Lila Holt, fifth grade student at Mount Vernon Elementary, offers remarks at the Sixth Annual Hunger Walk.

Students from local elementary schools deliver food they collected for the Sixth Annual Hunger Walk.

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CLEAN PLATE CAMPERS

Lifting an empty plate to the sky, a camp counselor proclaims loudly, “Attention campers! We have another member of the Clean Plate Club!” Cheers erupt across the entire dining hall. roughout the course of lunch, this announcement is repeated often, as camper after camper nishes their meal and takes his or her place in that venerated association known as the “Clean Plate Club,” all to the sound of applauding peers and camp sta ers. Every meal at camp o ers this same spirit of celebration and encouragement. e dining hall will soon empty and the children, bellies full, will move on to their next activity – but not without a chorus of “ ank you, Miss Connie! ank you, cooks!” echoing from the hall through the serving window of the kitchen.

“I love kids and I love food. I get to cook food for kids. What more could I want?” re ects Connie Tipton, who has been the head cook at CAP’s Camp AJ for four

years. “ ere’s no meal that they don’t like – they tend to enjoy them all. We watch to see what’s working and we keep it up. And if we notice that there are any dishes they are less enthusiastic about, we try to replace those with something that works.”

“THEY DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES – SWIMMING AND HIKING AND GOING OUT ON THE CANOE. WE MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL-FED.”

Tipton (“Miss Connie” to the campers) aims to craft menus and create meals that result in as many “Clean

Connie Tipton, head cook at Camp AJ, prepares lunch for campers alongside volunteers Clyde and Linda Moffitt.

Plate Club” initiations as possible, because every clean plate represents a child who is not hungry. CAP’s camps are both sites for the Kentucky Department of Education’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which means that a signi cant number of campers are dealing with food insecurity issues when school is not in session. At Camps AJ and Shawnee, almost 80 percent of campers meet the state eligibility requirements of this initiative, so the 13 meals and seven snacks each child receives during the week are an essential ingredient in their camp experience.

Sally Collins, who cooks for the campers and sta of Camp Shawnee explains, “ ey do a lot of activities –swimming and hiking and going out on the canoe. We make sure they are well-fed.” e opportunity to spend a week without worrying about the source of their next meal allows the children the freedom to fully embrace all the adventures that camp a ords. For at least one week during the summer, these children are given the gift of their own childhood.

“Several years ago,” remembers Tipton, “there was a child who started the week hiding food in his pockets

– he would put his apple and other children’s leftovers in his pockets during the meals. We tried to explain to him, ‘You don’t have to do that, you know. We’re going to have something else to eat later.’ And before the week was over, he knew he was going to get fed. He just wasn’t used to being able to count on that next meal being there.”

ere is nothing that motivates and satis es the kitchen sta and volunteers more than when the children enjoy and appreciate a meal. Tipton explains, “ ey get excited a lot. ey love ‘dino’ nugget day (chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs). And then they just go crazy over the pizza. I thought we could make something a little di erent with the pizza, so now we get French bread and we make individual pizzas for every camper. And they absolutely love them!”

“I love working with the children,” Collins adds. “All the food I cook for them is good, but I think they especially like my spaghetti. at is my favorite meal to x for them because I know it is something they are going to love.”

As much as Tipton welcomes the sound of clean plates being hoisted and words of gratitude from the campers, her favorite time of every meal happens just before that. “After everyone goes through the line, they’ve gotten their food, and they’re sitting at the table, there’s this moment when no one is talking and the dining room falls quiet. ey are eating. at’s the part of the day I love most.” n

Sally Collins, head cook at Camp Shawnee serves lunch to campers.

“ is keeps me going. It’s what I look forward to and enjoy every year,” muses Fern Co ey, making the short trek from her front porch to her gardens. e landscape is lush and well-tended, but with rough edges and ourishes of the wild on every side. Just past a small gully of barely-moving water, those rough edges become more prominent and a cacophony of chirps and buzzes builds with each step. Turning the corner around a large patch of weeds and overgrowth, another world is revealed. “You can tell that this is where the beans used to be – we’ve pretty much worn them out at this point!”

Co ey participates in CAP’s annual Garden Seed Program – she is currently between harvests and hopeful about the potential yield of the remaining items. Co ey continues, “ ere’s corn, there’s broccoli, and there are rows of peppers and zucchini. Up in the garden at the top of the hill I planted cucumber. My tomato patches are up yonder and boy – there’s some goodies in there!”

ere are at least ve full garden beds spread around Co ey’s property, emerging at any point where the land is at enough to accommodate their cultivation. She has already exhausted the yield of the beans she planted months earlier and the tomatoes appear to be nearing

the end of their season. ere was some issue of deer interloping into her cucumber patch, so the verdict is still out on that crop, but overall this has been a season of abundance for Co ey thus far.

“YOU LEARN EVERY YEAR... IT’S ALWAYS HIT OR MISS, BUT YOU LEARN AND YOU TRY NEW THINGS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. I JUST LOVE STAYING AT THIS.”

e seed program is a relatively small, but unique component of CAP’s Family Advocacy Program. Liz Phelps, one of the program’s managers, explains, “Our work is in connecting people with resources, whatever avenue that might be. So when the season arrives and people are needing garden seeds, we just want to make sure they get the things they need so that they can grow a garden and feed their families.”

“You’ve got to learn to outsmart the varmints,” Co ey grumbles while carefully stepping around the gargantuan tomatoes that dot her garden. She’s been vigilant this year to ward o the native wildlife – the raccoons have been particularly appreciative of her hard work – going so far as to set live traps, spread various natural substances around the perimeters, and hang bars of Ivory Spring soap from stakes every few feet (someone had o ered this as an unorthodox solution to her animal problem). ese attempts have produced mixed results, but luckily her garden has been bountiful enough to feed herself and her family, her neighbors, others in the community, and yes, even some of those ravenous local critters.

“We canned some, we dried some, we sold some, and we gave plenty away,” Co ey says of her bean crops. She, like many of the participants of the seed program, passes along the fruits of her labors to neighbors.

Phelps explains, “We hope they kind of pass it along if they’ve got extra – pass it along to neighbors or bring it by a food bank, or just do something to extend the

blessing. It really gives them the opportunity and ability to help their neighbors.”

If participants of the seed program have additional needs, CAP works to connect them with the resources to meet their requests. Because of the generous gifts of donors, the Family Advocacy Program is often able to provide fertilizer, additional canning jars, and speci c seeds and plants. CAP also partners with other community organizations, like local Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters and county extension o ces, to connect participants with educational resources to assist in their horticultural endeavors.

“OUR WORK IS IN CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES, WHATEVER AVENUE THAT MIGHT BE.”

“ is program has its little niche, if you will, and it has connected with people and that’s really what it’s all about – connecting people to one another within their community and extending those connections beyond that community,” explains Phelps. “It gives us a chance to go out and visit families that we normally don’t get to visit, because they aren’t necessarily coming to us for emergency assistance or other immediate needs. And when we go out and discover that they’ve got a unique gardening style or they’re doing all raised beds versus plowing a big garden – it’s another way to connect at a human level.”

Co ey’s corn is something to behold. Rows and rows of corn stalks extending high into the Appalachian sky. e corn is not quite ready to harvest, but it’s very close, and Co ey has been checking often. Having planted and tended these gardens for years now, she embraces the challenge to exceed the previous year’s bounty. “You learn every year,” she says. “You sure do. It’s always hit or miss, but you learn and you try new things and hope for the best. But I just love staying at this.”

Taking a moment to survey her garden one last time before journeying back to her porch, she quietly relishes, “Oh, my pretty corn. I’m proud of that.” n

ITHE MEALS ON THE BUS GO ‘ROUND & ‘ROUND

magine Tommy. Reclining into his familiar position on the small stoop outside his grandmother’s unit, he surveys the apartment parking lot for signs of life from his friends. Still wiping the sleep from his own eyes, Tommy suspects they too have settled into the slower-paced, late morning rhythms of summertime.

e overcast sky provides little reprieve from the oppressive July heat and humidity, which seem to rise up from the asphalt and concrete and dirt, but Tommy has grown accustomed to the brutal climate and pays it no attention.

Tommy’s ngers trace along the superhero gures that adorn his favorite pajama pants as he imagines vividly the adventure Captain America and his friends must be engaged in currently. “Or do superheroes also get a summer vacation?” Tommy wonders to himself. Before he can answer his own question, a door across the way swings open and two younger girls dart out to the sidewalk, jolting him back to reality. He glances swiftly back toward the entrance of the apartment complex and sees the small yellow Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) school bus for which he’s been patiently waiting emerge from around the corner.

e little school bus settles into a shady spot next to a grassy common area and the back door opens to reveal the familiar faces of CAP’s Family Life Child and Family Development Center (CFDC) sta and volunteers. e previously dormant apartment corridor almost immediately begins to bustle with life, as children of all ages pop out of units from all corners and make their way to the bus. Some of the CAP sta pull mats and blankets out of the back of the bus and carefully arrange them on the shaded patch of lawn.

“I have to wonder what some of these children do for food on the days we don’t bring them meals.”

A single- le line naturally forms and quickly lengthens down the parking lot. Tommy takes his place toward the end of the line, relinquishing to the more excitable younger children their desired spots in the front. Besides,

he knows the CAP bus always has enough for everyone and he’s only just begun to notice the grumbling in his stomach.

CAP is here today as part of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), an initiative of the Kentucky Department of Education established to ensure that children in low-income families continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. For more than two decades, CAP has been a sponsoring organization for the program, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to make certain that children do not go hungry. If you can imagine a child like Tommy, there are many more like him in Eastern Kentucky – 22 percent of children in the state are considered food insecure. Without the almost 2.5 million meals served annually through the SFSP and sponsors like CAP, these children would not be guaranteed their next meal.

Without the almost 2.5 million meals served annually through the SFSP and sponsors like CAP, these children would not be guaranteed their next meal.

“It depends on the child and the family, but I know some of these children aren’t being fed well,” re ects Sharon Go , manager of the Family Life CFDC. “I have to wonder what some of these children do for food on the days we don’t bring them meals.”

is is the second year for CAP’s mobile site delivery in Rockcastle County, which distributes the nutritious lunches to eligible apartment complexes and trailer parks. ree days every week, the small yellow school bus arrives at lunchtime in these locations to distribute the food to any children 18 years old and younger who are participating in the program. e food-prep and delivery crew consists of the CFDC employees and volunteers, who devote a signi cant amount of time and care to the preparation of the meals.

Jennifer Didelot, a teacher at the CFDC, explains, “With all of us working together and all-hands-ondeck, it takes about an hour to prepare all the lunches. But you also have to factor in another hour and a half to do all the shopping. By this time, we’re pretty organized

about it. We all have a job to do and we just jump in and get it done. It doesn’t take long at all.”

Like all of the summer feeding program’s sponsors, CAP provides meals that meet the rigorous guidelines and standards of the USDA, so each lunch is a wellbalanced, nutritious source of sustenance for the children. “ e lunch is usually a sandwich, a vegetable, and a fruit, plus a milk. And CAP’s food pantry sometimes has some extra treats on-hand, like pudding or cookies, so we’re sometimes able to include some bonus items. e guidelines for portions di er slightly by age group, so we always take that into account,” clari es Didelot.

In addition to the mobile-delivery sites, CAP sponsors a number of other summer feeding sites – including both CAP camps and the Eagle CFDC in McCreary County – 10 sites total. Many, if not a majority, of the children and their families are connected to CAP in various other ways throughout the year. A substantial number of them are either enrolled in one of the

CFDCs or graduates of those centers. By delivering the meals directly to the homes and neighborhoods of children, the summer feeding crew at Family Life has discovered bene ts from the work they do year-round with children in the community.

“It’s interesting,” re ects Samantha Harris, a longterm volunteer at the CFDC. “It’s helped me to understand where the kids come from. Even riding on the bus during the school year and seeing their homes from the window, coming out here this summer and realizing that some of them don’t have meals every day gives me such a di erent perspective on their speci c situations. I’m hoping it will help me understand the children in the fall semester even better.”

“Coming out here this summer and realizing that some of [the children] don’t have meals every day gives me such a different perspective on their specific situations. I’m hoping it will help me understand the children in the fall semester even better.”

At each stop, weather permitting, the crew hops out, sets up a picnic area, and spends quality time with the children – often engaging them in planned activities once they’ve nished their meals. Some children bring their parents or grandparents, who generally gravitate toward the outer edges of the action and engage in conversation with some of the feeding crew. Over the course of the summer, relationships have been built and deepened – not only with the children, but with their families and neighbors. When the CAP bus arrives, it tends to elicit impromptu block parties.

For all the children with similar stories to Tommy, CAP is giving the gift of a normal summer break. ese children don’t have to think about being hungry, which allows them to just enjoy being children. For Tommy, the real superheroes are the compassionate donors, volunteers, and partners who facilitate and support this program – and luckily they don’t take summers o . n

It’s another busy morning at CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry.

e loading dock is wide open, and from across the crowded parking lot the pantry storage area is visibly teaming with activity. Pallets of non-perishable items are swiftly being shu ed and rearranged to maximize space near the entryway. Sta are circulating in and out of the auxiliary doors at a steady pace, allowing the warm August breeze intermittent entry into the storefront,

causing the edges of the bread bags to rustle lightly. Customers of the adjacent Grateful readz rift Store periodically emerge with bags full of discounted clothing, stopping by the action to o er warm greetings to the pantry sta before retreating to their vehicles. ere is so much movement around this structure that, from a distance, it almost takes on the quality of a living organism or a swarming beehive.

“...WE HAVE BECOME A SORT OF “FOOD HUB” FOR THE SURROUNDING AREA – WE ARE THE ONLY FOOD PANTRY WITH THE CAPACITY TO PUT THESE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO USE IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS THEM DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE IN NEED.”

While this is not an atypical day at the food pantry, in terms of activity, enthusiasm, and productivity, there

are special guests expected this particular morning. First, representatives from the local government arrive, including the Rockcastle County judge executive and his sta , and begin to congregate alongside the food pantry sta in the parking lot. Shortly thereafter, a small box truck slowly pulls in from the main road and comes to a stop near the loading dock. e truck is piloted by the Kentucky agriculture commissioner and the head of the Kentucky-based food network, God’s Pantry Food Bank. ey are here to deliver a new freezer to CAP’s food pantry, which will give the organization additional cold storage for the meats and produce it distributes.

“ e city and county governments have been extremely supportive of our work all along,” explains Carolyn Lindsey, manager of Grateful Bread Food Pantry. “And our relationships with organizations like God’s Pantry, and corporate partners like Wal-Mart and Panera, have certainly enhanced our ability to meet the needs of children and their families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities in our community. But we have also become a sort of “food hub” for the surrounding area – we are the only food pantry with the capacity to put these additional resources to use in a way that connects them directly to people in need.”

“WHEN WE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO SHOP WITH PARTICIPANTS, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT GIVING THEM FOOD –IT’S ABOUT BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND GETTING TO KNOW THEIR NEEDS.”

Unlike most typical community food banks, Grateful Bread is open ve days per week, is fully sta ed by employees and volunteers, and is sustained by the synergy of CAP’s vast network of programs, services, and resources. ese assets allow the food pantry to operate in entirely di erent capacities than traditional pantry models – the sheer volume of food and commodities coming in and going out of the pantry on a regular basis is staggering. Cans, boxes, produce, breads, and meats circulate constantly through the store room, being distributed at a high pace in order to always make room for the next round of goods.

“Although this program initially began as just a closet of food in the Family Advocacy Program o ce, it has been able to grow and evolve and mature as compassionate donors respond to the need in our region,” Lindsey asserts. “ is growth, through these gifts, has put us in a position to play an active role in our community in facing the challenges of food insecurity and hunger. I think, in particular, our ability to provide supplemental food support to children through the Backpack Program and our partnership with the local schools in general is a testament to the value of what we’re doing here.”

e work of the food pantry is absolutely critical for hungry people in the region. In Kentucky, 21.9 percent of children are food insecure, which means that 222,380 children live in households where they are not guaranteed their next meal. One in six people in Kentucky struggles with hunger and that number is even higher in counties served by CAP. In the coming years, the organization aims to expand its hunger initiatives throughout the region by opening and/or partnering in six additional food pantries. is will require more

FOOD INSECURITY

underwrite the

resources and increased funds to underwrite the growth, but the need is critical and demands immediate action.

“THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE’VE INTRODUCED TO BAGELS HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE TO ME, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS GET A WIDE VARIETY OF BAGELS AND TO MANY OF US THEY SEEM SO COMMON AND AVAILABLE.”

e new freezer, being slowly lowered from the box truck, has captivated the onlookers in the parking lot at the pantry. ere is a sense of gratitude and wonder at yet another gift that will immediately begin to help feed people in need. e box is nally safe and secure on the ground. e agriculture commissioner does the honors, cutting open the bindings and releasing the freezer from

temporary casing. As the lid is raised and the pantry

its temporary casing. As the lid is raised and the pantry sta peer down into the deep emptiness of the cooler, it is obvious that they are already calculating the volume of frozen goods they will be able to t into the unit. anks to community partnerships, it will be lled in no time.

Lindsey describes CAP’s long-standing relationship with a local Wal-Mart store, “We send our truck to pick up produce donations from Wal-Mart three days a week. ey’ve always been very good to us. Sometimes we get meat, sometimes dairy – it’s just whatever items they have in surplus or that they need to rotate out of the coolers to make space for new items. We’ll receive as much as 2,000 pounds of meat, produce, and dairy in a single pick-up, so it’s more than most organizations can transport, store, and distribute before any of the products go bad.”

Relationships like this not only bene t CAP participants, they also provide a means and a method by which businesses and corporations can contribute locally to people in need. e local Panera Bread also contributes surplus and end-of-day bakery items to CAP three days per week – sometimes in excess of 500 pounds of bread in one delivery. Not only do the baked goods represent a substantive, lling food for participants, it

also introduces them to items with which some have never been exposed.

“ e various types of breads that are out there –sometimes we have to explain to the participants what certain items are, assure them that it’s okay to eat, and that it tastes good. e number of people we’ve introduced to bagels has been unbelievable to me, because we always get a wide variety of bagels and to many of us they seem so common and available,” Lindsey re ects. “It also gives them an opportunity, especially with their desserts, cookies, and cinnamon rolls, to have a treat. at’s a luxury they don’t often get – for them to be able to come into our pantry and get a di erent dessert for every household member. It’s neat to be able to give this extra bonus, these types of foods that they would never spend money to buy for themselves.”

“I think all CAP programs are focused on building relationships with the people they serve,” Lindsey explains, “so when we individually take the time to shop with participants, it’s not just about giving them food –it’s about building that relationship and getting to know their needs. ey have other needs beyond just food. But you’re not going to know that if you don’t take the time to sit, or to stand, or walk around with them.

Food pantry sta often walk through with participants to assist them in their shopping, o ering recipe ideas and suggestions for how to prepare some of the less familiar bakery items, produce, and meats. is storebased model, wherein participants are given the space to take their cart around the shelves and choose their own food items based on preferences and need, contributes to the overall feeling of comfort and serves to preserve the dignity of people in need of supplemental food support. It also creates a space for relationships to be formed between employees, volunteers, and participants.

at’s one reason we do the shopping the way we do, so we can build those relationships and make referrals to other agencies or CAP programs when necessary.”

Lindsey continues, “We just had a pantry participant who had been coming in here for years, and he had a relationship with all the sta , and he just passed away over the weekend. He used to take the cabbage we would give him and he would can kraut and then bring it back and give it to the sta . ese are the kind of relationships we are building. Lloyd didn’t just come by because he needed food, he came by to visit. is was his place to get to interact and to socialize with people. His sisters have already come by to see us, because they know we are praying for them and their family. You have to take the time for people, and we do that here.”

e forklift sounds a rhythmic, atonal beep as it backs away from the freezer. e new addition ts snugly beside the existing appliances at the back of the store room and as the unit is plugged in, the motor begins to purr. As the esteemed guests and generous benefactors gradually depart the pantry, employees, volunteers, and participants soon shift back into routine – stocking shelves, sorting items, lling carts. e work of the food pantry must continue, as long as there are hungry people in Eastern Kentucky. e gifts and support of donors, partners, and the community ensure that it has the resources to do so. n

Pictured: KY Agriculture Commissioner, Ryan Quarles, Representatives from the Mt. Vernon Mayor’s Office, Jill Medley & Crystal Rush, Rockcastle County Judge Executive, Doug Bishop, Carolyn Lindsey, Executive Director of the KY Association of Food Banks, Tamara Sandberg, CEO Gods Pantry Food Bank, Mike Halligan

Perched in a rocking chair on the porch that overlooks the expanse of her 350 acres in Estill County, Ky., Barbara Napier refers to the setting as “where the mountains kiss the Bluegrass.” For the last 17 years, Napier has shared her land, her home, her kitchen, and her dinner table with travelers and guests from around the world. e bed-andbreakfast at Snug Hollow Farm boasts a large farmhouse, rustic cabins, trails, a large organic garden, and a true taste of timeless Appalachian culture – all the product of Napier’s work, vision, and appetite for hospitality.

Renowned for her gourmet vegetarian cuisine, Napier serves up a one-of-a-kind immersive experience for her guests. Gently rocking back and forth in her chair, enjoying a picture-perfect Kentucky September day, Napier ruminates on the farm, her approach to cooking, and the value of civil dinners among strangers.

How did this place come to be? What was behind your dream for Snug Hollow Farm?

I knew I had to share this place with people. I’ve always cooked for people and I’ve always entertained. People loved to come here. ey would call and say, “Can we just come over?” I had a big table and I would feed them and spend time with them. At the time, I was

working in a job, at a desk in a cubicle. I’d leave at 8:00 in the morning and get home at dark. I began to think to myself, “Why live here if you can’t actually ever be here? at’s not really living here.”

I knew I needed to make a living and I read about the concept of a bed and breakfast, which was new to me. I thought, “ is is perfect. I’ve got this big house and all this beautiful land – I can support myself by sharing it with others.” So when it opened, guests started coming and have continued to visit Snug Hollow ever since.

What does hospitality mean to you? What do you hope someone gets out of their experience here?

It means that I have something to o er. is farm has something to o er. It’s not as if I created something. is land takes care of me and I think everyone who stays here can connect with it in some way. It reminds them of their grandmother’s house. It reminds them of their childhood. It reminds them of things they had forgotten about themselves.

Many people aren’t used to a place that gets really dark at night, like it does here. And just listen – do you hear all these noises? e sounds of bugs and birds and creatures

and creation? is is something you see in movies about the South, but people don’t get to experience it unless they come to a place like this. I think it’s the experience and the connection with the land here. It’s absolutely a feast for the senses. I think I o er that and people, more often than not, they get it. ey go away with part of it.

“COOKING FOR PEOPLE IS MY LOVE AND MY TIME IN MY KITCHEN IS A CALLING.”

Your menu is completely organic and vegetarian. How would you describe the menu? What types of dishes are typical fare for Snug Hollow?

People love real food. I am from Eastern Kentucky, so we have real food. Some nights we might have what I call “Ken-Tuscan bean soup,” and it’s delicious. We’ll serve cornbread and kale with caramelized onions and just things that I consider to be real food. e Kentucky food is very important here. We also might have eggplant Parmesan and garlic mashed potatoes and our homemade rosemary bread, but it’s real food. We don’t do the tofu and seaweed act.

We like to surprise people with unfamiliar dishes and ingredients. When they come down to breakfast and have biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes, eggs, oatmeal, and co ee and they’re saying, “I thought this was vegetarian?” I guess they assume you can’t do any of that, but it’s fun. Our sta really enjoys surprising everybody with this wonderful food, things like apple dumplings and apple stack cakes and butterscotch pies.

e food has always been very well received. Years ago, everyone at the table would want to know the recipe for whatever was being served. At night, I would sit in there and write it all out. One day I thought, “I need to write a cookbook. is is insane.” Our “Hot Food & Warm Memories” cookbook came out of that thought. It’s all vegetarian, but everybody eats chocolate pie and macaroni and cheese and lasagna. It just shows you how you can still eat well as a vegetarian.

What distinguishes Kentucky food, particularly Appalachian Kentucky food, from other regions?

Well, several things, but one of the things, and this is maybe just a Southern thing in general, but food is so important in our culture. If you’re celebrating a wedding, it’s all about the food: the cake, the dinner, the hors d’oeuvres. If you’re celebrating a birthday,

it’s a birthday dinner. We eat in our churches. We eat everywhere. We eat in our meetings. If there’s a funeral, that meal that comes after is the most important part of the ritual. Food is just so ingrained in our culture. We value our food. We grow it. We still can our food. A lot of people in Kentucky can. It’s not a thing of the past –it’s something that’s still going on right now.

I think when people arrive, they see the way we serve the food. We don’t serve family-style. You sit down and we serve it to you, so on your plate will be what we consider our dinner o ering. And there may be items that someone may not normally eat or with which they’re unfamiliar, things like eggplant. But it’s always gone by the end of the meal. It’s a new way of considering food.

“THIS LAND TAKES CARE OF ME AND I THINK EVERYONE WHO STAYS HERE CAN CONNECT WITH IT IN SOME WAY.”

Is there any particular dish or meal that you just especially enjoy introducing to guests – something that stands out?

Yes, I do enjoy making my vegetarian gravy and biscuits because rst of all, just the shock value that guests sit down and see the gravy and assume that it has meat in it, which it doesn’t. en I’ll show them how we make it. I think that’s fun. I really enjoy introducing the real food. We do a pasta but we use our butternut squash, our kale, and our Swiss chard to make this lovely dish that people may never even think to eat and they end up eating second and third portions.

I enjoy thinking about what I’m going to serve and how it’s going to a ect people. is is what I’m all about, it’s my thing. Cooking for people is my love and my time in my kitchen is a calling. What better way to show love?

All the guests who stay at Snug Hollow, people from all across the country and even the globe, eat together. What are these meals like?

Well, as Parker Palmer says, “If you want to have world peace, go have more potluck suppers,” and that is a statement in which I truly believe. You bring people together of di erent cultures. In this day and age, rarely do people come face to face with a stranger. We think that’s not the best way to do life. e most fun, interesting thing you can do is to be civil. To sit

at the table and meet people who you maybe wouldn’t pick out of a lineup and start talking about things. You have these civil conversations and then they can become so interesting, sometimes so heartfelt. ey pass on information and then we can hear another person’s real opinion from a real person and you get a little softer around the edges about it. It’s just important.

“PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN OTHER PEOPLE. I THINK OUR SIMILARITIES LIE IN OUR HUNGER TO REALLY KNOW ONE ANOTHER.”

Your guests get to discover Kentucky when they stay here – it seems that you’re also getting to experience all the places from where they’re coming.

I am. Where else in the world can you just sit here on these 350 acres and have the world come right to your door? Of course, I get to ask many questions and learn so much and we exchange our thoughts. As many, many interesting cultures as there are and di erent ways of growing up, the main thing and the amazing thing is that we cannot believe all of our similarities.

What are some of these universal, human things that emerge during these meals?

People want to go back. ey like to re ect on their childhood. One gentleman walked in the door recently and saw my old wood cookstove and said, “Oh, my –this reminds me of my grandma’s house!” He just stood for a minute and his wife said, “For goodness sakes, Michael, you’re from Los Angeles.” He said, “Okay, it’s not my grandma’s house, but it’s what my grandma’s house should have been.”

What comes to the surface is that most people are empathetic. Most people want to help when someone is hurting or in need. ey don’t always know how to ask for help when they need it, and sometimes they don’t get an opportunity to give it. Most people are very, very kind. ey just might not have had an opportunity to practice that kindness, or at least they haven’t recognized those opportunities. You pick up on this in conversations around the table and in interactions out in this nature. People are genuinely interested in other people. I think our similarities lie in our hunger to really know one another. It’s a fact. n

NON-PROFIT

Christian Appalachian Project

P.O. Box 55911

Lexington, KY 40555-5911

The Mountain Spirit

Christian Appalachian Project