Kentucky and West Virginia
The time in Appalachia will be coordinated by MCC Appalachia Build, a Mennonite Central Committee program that serves low-income families. MCC Appalachia Build addresses sub-standard housing in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. Participants will work with and for local homeowners, building relationships that serve to enrich all involved.
Students will do a range of work from painting and fixing leaky roofs to assisting with home additions and renovations, all the while getting acquainted with the families whose homes are being repaired. Students will be challenged to compare their own lifestyles, values, hopes and dreams with those of the people we meet and work with each day.
The experience will incorporate a variety of assignments, such as working on projects for local churches and schools, as well as visits to cultural sites and events, hiking in an old growth forest, and presentations by musicians, folklorists and others. These combined experiences will familiarize us with the social and environmental effects of the coal mining industry and other challenges faced by residents of the region.
Dates and program fee are preliminary estimates
Leader: Darryl Nester
Dates: May 8 - 23, 2025
Program fee: $2,000
Deposit: $300 due Dec. 12
Students: 14 max.
COVID-19 VACCINE - Strongly encouraged, but optional.
Contact
Marathana Prothro or Paul Neufeld Weaver