The Mountain Spirit News

Latter-Day Saint Charities donates 42,000 pounds of food to help communities in Appalachia

In January, the Latter-Day Saint Charities partnered with CAP to help people in need in Eastern Kentucky by donating 27 pallets totaling 42,000 pounds of food. “This was a tremendous blessing to CAP at the start of the new year,” said Sherri Barnett, manager of CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry. “We were so thankful and grateful to Latter-Day Saint Charities for this huge donation of non-perishable food that was distributed in CAP’s service area to children, their families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.”

Lowe’s associates volunteer with CAP as part of Give Back Time initiative

Through Lowe’s Give Back Time initiative, Lowe’s associates used volunteer hours to make a difference in their local community, last fall. “We have had a relationship with Lowe’s for about 12 years,” said Ronnie Griffith, Elderly Housing Crew Leader. “Once they learned about the work we do to help people in need in Appalachia, Lowe’s staff stepped up to support those efforts. The volunteer service that Lowe’s employees provided is a win-win.”

Candy Bates, the manager at the Lowe’s store in Paintsville said, “Many times, as employees, we don’t get the opportunity to serve customers outside of the store, but Give Back Time allows us to help. We work here, we live here, we’re a part of the community.”

Mental health expert trains CAP counselors in emerging therapies

Dr. Gary Patton, a renowned leader in the mental health profession, conducted training for CAP’s therapists in Integrating Medicine and Mental Health Services as well as Neurobiological Aspects of Mental Health. He is an expert on these topics and will advance CAP’s ability to continue to address mental health needs in Appalachia. Patton is the assistant dean of Admissions and Student Services at Liberty University College of Medicine and has also served in various roles with law enforcement including the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Last year, CAP’s Family Life Counseling Service served nearly 1,000 low-income or at-risk family members in Eastern Kentucky. Many Appalachian residents have limited access to mental health professionals and are further disadvantaged by costs, stigma, and availability.

WorkFest volunteer earns award and directs donation to CAP

Nick Piner (pictured during his third WorkFest) recently earned Michigan State University’s (MSU) Spartan Volunteer Service Award. During the 2018-2019 academic year (and summer 2019), Nick racked up 681 hours of volunteer service to the community, most of which was from time spent at CAP. Of the 128 students recognized for their service, Nick had the most hours. (That is saying something on a campus of nearly 40,000 undergraduates.) As part of that recognition, Nick was allowed to direct a donation from MSU to a charity of his choosing - he selected CAP. We are so thankful for his charitable spirit.

Donation helps community college students

In the fall, CAP’s Operation Sharing Program in Paintsville donated 50 coveralls with hood and boot sets to the Collision Repair Technology program on the Mayo Campus of Big Sandy Community and Technical College. “We were very happy to see that these coveralls would benefit and serve the students who are pursuing an education and career in collision repair,” said Brian Conley, assistant director of Operation Sharing in Paintsville. “Our goal is to extend the generosity of our donors throughout the communities we serve. We are glad that these donated items were put to good use in the community.”

Instructor Dewayne Kinner was very appreciative of the coveralls. He noted that many of his students face financial challenges, so paying for tuition and supplies can provide an additional obstacle to completing their education. The coveralls were particularly useful because they protected their clothing when painting vehicles they had repaired in their training course.