Together for Hope – Appalachia

Keith Stillwell, D.Min. serves as Together for Hope Regional Vice President for Appalachia. Elena Compton is the Assistant to the Regional Vice President for Together for Hope Appalachia, serving in West Virginia.


The goals of Together for Hope Appalachia are to transform persistent rural poverty in Appalachia through asset-based community development that prioritizes education, health & nutrition, housing & environment, and social enterprise. We have a vision for a world where all people have access to food, housing, education, healthcare, and meaningful work and income. Our mission is working with others to make that vision a reality, especially in the 57 counties of persistent poverty in Appalachia, with counties in Kentucky (39), West Virginia (8), Tennessee (7), Virginia (2) and Ohio (1).

Appalachia was long dominated by a single extractive industry, which did not result in development of schools, infrastructure, or economic diversity. As that industry has declined the Appalachian economy has suffered greatly.
While we intervene to repair homes, feed the hungry, work for better healthcare, innovate creative solutions, and advocate for just systems, we keep our focus on the big picture vision of poverty alleviation. We continue to go to the root of poverty, hunger, inadequate housing, education, and healthcare and ask why these inequities exist as we seek long-term sustainable solutions.


We are better when we work together, so we continue to build a coalition of organizations, churches, and individuals who share our goals, while we work to provide resources, support, and networking for existing partners.


Your gifts support this work of poverty alleviation.

• Engaging in poverty alleviation through asset-based community development and the four priorities of hope: education, health & nutrition, housing & environment, and social enterprise.
• Growing a coalition of non-profits, businesses, churches, and individuals that share our goals and priorities.
• Networking through social media, our email list, personal contact, and through our monthly Zoom meetings which bring together coalition members for collaboration, encouragement and support.
• Providing resources, support, coordination, and capacity building for our coalition members.
• Advocating for issues of importance to poverty alleviation in Appalachia, building a network of churches and church members, and working with other advocacy organization.
• Expanding our impact by providing additional leadership in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio.

Connect with
Keith Stillwell – kstillwell@cbf.net
Elena Compton – ecompton@cbf.net

Follow TFH Appalachia
http://hope.cbf.net/appalachia
https://www.facebook.com/tfhappalachia