CAP Volunteer E-News a monthly newsletter from Christian Appalachian Project
Did You Know?
Facts about Appalachia
Owsley County ranks as the seventh poorest county in the nation – in 1997, nearly 65% of children were considered poor. Currently, the estimate is just over 50%. CAP programs in Owsley County include Outreach Services, Housing, Adult Education, Elderly Services and Counseling, and several children and teens from the county attend Camp Andrew Jackson each summer. Owsley County is also one site for WorkFest 2007.
"Distressed" Applachian counties are indicated in red. Distressed counties are defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission and rank in the worst ten percent in the nation's counties based on unemployment, per capita income and poverty rate.
CAP launches new website
This month, CAP launched a new website at a new URL, www.christianapp.org. With a more modern design and user-friendly organization, the new site will better inform prospective volunteers, church leaders and alternative spring break leaders about CAP's volunteer opportunities and benefits. Check out the new site today!
With the website CAP also unveiled its new motto, COMPLETE Impact: Hands-on Change. For Good.The new motto emphasizes CAP's mission of direct service to Appalachia's children and their families, elderly and developmentally disabled to make a complete and lasting impact on all the people CAP's volunteers and employees serve.
CAP is happy to announce new benefits for this year's summer camp volunteers. In addition to room and board and free admission to the Ichthus Christian Music Festival (see story below), CAP will be offering a scholarship award to volunteers who make a nine week (May 29-July 27) commitment to camp. The scholarship, which will be awarded to volunteers upon completion of their service, will reward those volunteers who serve the entire summer. The minimum commitment for summer camp volunteers is three weeks. Application process required.
Get your application for summer camp in by April 15 for priority placement.
Contact the Volunteer Program at 1-800-755-5322 or volunteer@chrisapp.org for more details.
Are you part of the Uprising?
Though both organizations have provided a strong Christian witness in Kentucky and beyond for more than 35 years, until this year CAP and Ichthus Ministries had never sought to build a strong partnership. Ichthus Ministries is the organization behind the Ichthus Festival, a nationally-renowned Christian music festival that attracts more than 20,000 music fans each year and has featured such artists as Third Day, Switchfoot, tobyMac and Jars of Clay. With this year's theme--"Uprising"--drawing attention to the Christian call to discipleship and service to the poor, a partnership between CAP and Ichthus was a natural pairing.
As a Corporate Partner for Ichthus 2007, CAP will provide shower trailers from CAP's Disaster Relief program for use at the festival June 14-16. CAP volunteers (summer camp, short-term and long-term) and employees will have the opportunity to attend the festival for free in exchange for providing volunteer hours to the festival.
Prior to the festival, youth groups from across the country will be sent out to various mission sites surrounding the Ichthus Farm in Wilmore, Kentucky. CAP will host several mission teams who will serve in the Housing and Elderly Services programs, and around the camp facilities where they will be staying.
Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of the "Uprising," request a volunteer application packet today!
Road Trippin'
For the remainder of February, CAP representatives will be visiting Pennsylvania, Georgia and Minnesota. Check our travel schedule often to find out if we're coming to your area.
Volunteer Spotlight
“I am content for the first time in my life”—Carolyn Crozier, Elderly Services
Carolyn at a glance...
Hometown: Niceville, Florida Life before CAP: Retired Service placement: Elderly Services Volunteer Community: Johnson Volunteer House
A few years ago, Carolyn Crozier (or "C.C." as she is known around CAP) received an appeal letter from CAP asking for her assistance in CAP's mission. In her desire to help people, she decided to send $10 a month. The Christmas calendar she received from CAP as a small “thank you” in 2003 only confirmed that she should do more.
In March of 2006, Carolyn made the move from Florida to Kentucky to become a long-term volunteer. Even though she was born in Georgia and grew up in Florida, she had never really felt at home until moving to Kentucky. She believes she should “probably have been born in Kentucky.”
Carolyn is one of CAP's Indpependent Living volunteers, living with her sister in Paintsville, Kentucky, and sharing meals and devotions with the Johnson Volunteer House. She loves working in Elderly Services, where she has increased the participant list for her county from 25 to 38. “CAP has become my life," Carolyn commented, "and I love it."
Urgent Volunteer Needs application process required
Attention College Seniors: For those interested in beginning service immediately following graduation, you are strongly encouraged to submit your application by March 15, 2007. Though CAP will review every application received, preferred service placement will be given to those applying by March 15.
CAP has immediate openings in the following programs:
Housing: Work with crew leader and other volunteers to repair substandard housing and/or build new homes for families in need. Must be able to work on roofs and work outside when necessary.
Elderly Services: Provide services such as home visitation, transportation, social activities, prescription assistance and various other services which decrease isolation and increase socialization of homebound senior citizens.
Respite Services: Provide therapeutic, social and recreational activities for children and adults with disabilities. Respite Services provides both in-home and center-based care.
Educational and Recreational Programming: Serve as a camp counselor during the summer at Camp Andrew Jackson. During the school year, work with camp staff to provide in-school and after-school educational and recreational programming for children and youth in several counties.
Summer Camp (May 29-July 27): Counselors, lifeguards, medical personnel and arts & crafts instructors needed to staff two recreational camps in eastern Kentucky. Camp activities include hiking, fishing, Bible Study, canoeing, camping and more. Minimum three week commitment.
“I have shown you all things, how that your laboring ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Do you have a friend who might be interested in CAP's ministry in Appalachia?
If so, please click here to fill out and submit a request and we will send them one of CAP's inspirational books as an introduction to our work in serving those in need in Appalachia. The book is our gift and comes without any cost or obligation. The book is of life in Appalachia, of those that suffer in the remote hills and valleys of central Appalachia in severe conditions of poverty, and how a grass-root organization like CAP can help people overcome nearly impossible odds.
CAP’s Prescription Assistance Program helps struggling families receive the medication they so desperately need. At no cost! The money they save can be used to feed their hungry children and provide adequate shelter.
It sounds unbelievable, but your 7 cents can help provide A FULL DOLLARS worth of lifesaving medicine.
A supporting chapter for Kentucky Self - Advocates For Freedom, Inc. A statewide organization directed by Kentuckians with disabilities committed to working in partnership with all interested parties to promote equal right, inclusion, self-advocacy, support and education in all realms of life.
CAP is happy to announce new benefits for this year's 
Though both organizations have provided a strong Christian witness in Kentucky and beyond for more than 35 years, until this year CAP and 
Carolyn at a glance...
