Appalachia
Appalachia
Amidst stunning mountains and deep, shaded hollows, Appalachia is home to generations of proud families, many wrestling with the despair of extreme poverty. We help ease their burdens by providing home repairs and food support. We operate a retreat center in Auxier, Kentucky. Our service area includes Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin and Martin counties.
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Learn more about our programs
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With an unemployment rate of over 30%, the challenges facing Floyd County, Kentucky are staggering. We focus our efforts on home repairs, wheelchair ramps, and food security.
Each year we repair dozens of homes in Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin and Martin Counties. We replace bathrooms, floors, ceilings, underpinning, and sometimes, the kitchen sink. We build wheelchair ramps for the elderly or an individual with mobility issues. We basically do whatever we can to create a safe place to call home for dozens of families each year.
Volunteers, guided by local contractors, fuel our home repair program. Groups come from neighboring cities and states to stay at the Auxier Center to enjoy the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, and offer a helping hand to the region. Their financial support and willingness to lend a hand is critical to the success of our program.
The Auxier Center also serves as an emergency food pantry for families living the area. Each month we provide emergency food supplies for seventy-five families.
Trips to the Auxier Center in Floyd County, KY are here!
Individual or Family – Great for Solo Travel!
Are you an individual or a family looking to participate in an immersion trip experience in Appalachia? We can help! We have an opening: October 8-11, 2023
Group Travel
Do you have a friend group, church or school group looking for a service opportunity? We have multiple dates available for group travel.
Reserve your spot today with Director of Immersion Trips, Allison Ridenour. She will help you find a trip to suit your individual or group needs.
Each year we host nearly 50 groups of volunteers, made up of individuals, families, church groups, and schools, who join us for a three-night stay at our retreat center in Auxier, KY. Volunteers enjoy experiencing the hospitality and beauty of the region while assisting with a variety of home repair projects. We’ve been hosting groups in Appalachia for almost 20 years.
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation, bedding, towels, and toiletries. We handle the rest. We can comfortably house groups of up to 25 in semi-private or bunk-style air-conditioned rooms, with nine shared bathrooms.
Volunteers enjoy delicious home-cooked meals that are prepared and served daily by our staff. A variety of fruits and vegetables are available with every meal. However, we cannot accommodate specific dietary restrictions. Many groups choose to enjoy supporting a local restaurant for one evening meal.
We provide all building materials and tools. No skills are necessary to participate. We can always find meaningful work for any skill level. The charitable donation of your 3-night, 2-day stay is $275/person.
After you depart the center, you’re on your own. You can visit Jenny Wiley State Park, Stone Crest Overlook or enjoy the views Natural Bridge State Park and grab lunch at Miguel’s Pizza.
“Those middle schoolers were such a great group of young kids that have such a great life ahead of them and they just don’t know how happy they made me. Building this wheelchair ramp has given me a lot of my independence back and being able to get myself in and out of the house safely.”
– Sheila, homeowner assisted
Most memorable moment was “listening to Betty’s story of moving into her home and it being flooded weeks later. Knowing we gave her more than just the beginning of new floors and walls, we gave her hope.”
– Emily, immersion trip volunteer
“After 50 years I’m able to remain in my home. I just couldn’t do it without you and this ramp helps me to live independently and not to give my home up. I just feel very thankful for what you’ve come to do for me.” – Homeowner in Eastern Kentucky
“This was my second trip to Auxier. Once again the team was so welcoming. I love connecting with the families there. The projects are well organized which means the maximum people are able to helped!” – Jennifer, immersion trip volunteer