In 2025, Americans Helping Americans® provided cash grants to four home rehabilitation partners in Appalachia, enabling them to purchase building materials for critical home rehabilitation programs in Appalachia — including shingles to repair roofs, drywall to repair interior walls, lumber to construct handicap ramps for the elderly and disabled, and more.
"Thousands of elderly and disabled homeowners live in homes they can't even get into because of uneven or dangerous steps, no wheelchair ramp, or deteriorating construction," states Americans Helping Americans® Executive Director Cameron Krizek. "Our grants to numerous partners in Appalachia provide the cost of materials and labor so that work groups, volunteers, and contractors can rehabilitate the home for its owner."
In total, our Home Rehabilitation Program completed 141 home rehabilitation projects serving 154 individuals in 2025.
Our Four Home Rehabilitation Partners in Appalachia
Americans Helping Americans® works with four trusted on-the-ground partners across Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Learn more about how we fight poverty in Appalachia through housing, food, education, and basic needs programs.
Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies (AMOS) — Jefferson City, Tennessee
In Jefferson City, Tennessee, Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies (AMOS) recruits volunteers to assist with home repair projects, allowing them to maximize the use of their funds to serve as much of the community as possible.
One recipient this summer, Evelyn, age 75, lived in a double-wide manufactured home which needed extensive work. She relied on her son to help with various household tasks and administer her medicine.
The left side of her front porch collapsed due to a falling tree last year during a storm, and the remaining deck surface and structure had deteriorated and needed replacement. The wall underneath her living room window and bedroom window was rotten due to window air conditioning units. She had no deck on the rear entrance and no steps. There were also signs of effluent above the septic tank at the time the team conducted the inspection. Lastly, her shingles were in really bad shape.
After the team from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, finished the project, Mrs. Evelyn expressed her joy to AMOS. "I'm able to sit outside on my porch for the first time in years," she expressed while pulling air in from her oxygen machine. "I'm so proud of my porch and everything they did for me."
She speculated that those kids were going to grow up knowing what it felt like to help people and she hoped they would continue to do that.
"We hope Mrs. Evelyn's speculation is correct because I also believe that's what Americans Helping Americans® provides," stated Cameron. "Our grants give immediate aid to those who are most vulnerable in our society as well as empower the people who want to act and provide services for their fellow Americans. Our grants multiply the impact by strengthening the hands that lift others out of poverty."
💡 Learn more: How Americans Helping Americans® is Repairing Roofs and Restoring Hope
Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA) — McDowell County, West Virginia
Last year, our partner in McDowell County, West Virginia, Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA) served 166 people with housing rehab services such as repairing roofs, painting, handicap ramps, flooring repairs, bathroom repairs, porch repairs, and others, reported Executive Director Dyanne Spriggs. She also reported that a total of 267 volunteers stayed at BCPIA's center to do community service last year.
Among the beneficiaries was Thelma, whose husband has dementia and who is raising her two grandchildren because the children's mother died in prison and the father died of a drug overdose, Dyanne reported.
"She had holes in her kitchen and bathroom floors," said Dyanne. "They were scared to use the bathroom because the floor was so weak near the commode. The kitchen floor was falling in front of the sink."
But once the work was completed, Thelma "was so appreciative that her family can now use the kitchen and bathroom without the fear of falling through the floor."
Another beneficiary was Santana, a young mother with four children who "has faced many challenges in her life," reported Dyanne. With her husband incarcerated, her previous partner — who lives across the street and shares two children with her — reached out to BCPIA to inform the staff that Santana's home desperately needed a new roof.
"Her roof on the back porch had fallen, making it dangerous for the babies and causing leaks," said Dyanne. "She and all the kids had moved in with him temporarily until her house could be repaired."
Dyanne explained that the BCPIA housing program staff went to conduct an evaluation and reported that "it was too dangerous to put our groups on the job until there was some work done to support the house." She reached out to volunteers with the necessary equipment who had previously helped BCPIA and asked for their assistance.
"They took a tractor and stabilized the roof enough so it would be safe for the next volunteer group to work on," said Dyanne. "The next two groups fixed her roof and rebuilt her back porch and steps. We are happy to say this momma and all her kids are back in their own home now. She did not ask for any help, but she received help anyway."
💡 Read more: Americans Helping Americans® Awards Grant to Big Creek People in Action
Cumberland Mountain Outreach (CMO) — Beattyville, Kentucky
In Beattyville, Kentucky, Cumberland Mountain Outreach (CMO) President/CEO Cynthia Evanoff reported that among those helped with housing repair projects — with support from Americans Helping Americans® — was Carel, who is disabled with a severe case of multiple sclerosis. A church team from Ohio repaired her handicap ramp and the floor in her bathroom/laundry room, power washed her home, cleaned her gutters, did yard work, and completed other miscellaneous jobs.
Another recipient was Vicky, who suffers from various immune deficiency disorders and lives on a fixed income. She was left with her house following the passing of her husband. A church team from Illinois painted her house — outside and inside.
A third was Debra, who is raising her two grandchildren and needed flooring repaired in her bathroom and laundry room. A church group from Indiana repaired the flooring and completed some other jobs as well. In addition, Cynthia reported that "her refrigerator went out, so they bought her a new refrigerator and filled it with food." A second group also constructed new steps on the front of her home as well as completing other jobs.
Another church group from Illinois did work on Polly's home, including replacing flooring, painting decks, and other "honey-do" jobs, said Cynthia.
"They painted my porch, cleaned my gutters, put in two doorknobs, and fixed some flooring," Polly told us. "Real, real sweet people. I love those girls. They were so sweet and kind as they could be. I thank you so much!"
Ocoee Outreach — Cleveland, Tennessee
In Cleveland, Tennessee, Callie Limburg, Executive Director of longtime partner Ocoee Outreach, stated, "Because of the partnership of Americans Helping Americans®, Ocoee Outreach was able to assist multiple families with home repairs. Many of these are senior citizens and/or widows who struggle with physical disabilities and otherwise would not be able to complete these projects."
Among them were Danny and his wife, Kathy, both of whom suffer from physical disabilities — he needs a wheelchair to get around, while Kathy was suffering from the last stages of COPD. "They truly were unable to manage the upkeep on their home even though they had proudly lived there for over 20 years," Callie told us.
She praised the team from Barnwell, South Carolina, who "went ABOVE & BEYOND for the Young family — while paint and a ramp were on the 'to do' list, they cleared property lines, built a back porch, cleaned the interior of the home, and so much more."
However, Callie informed us that "Sadly, we received a call two days after our volunteer team left that Mrs. Kathy had passed away from a heart attack. Mr. Danny knew that she 'had spent her last days on earth being so loved and feeling so valuable.'"
Another couple assisted were Laura and Steve, both in their 60s. While she is still able to work, he could not due to health issues. Her income is limited, and the home is aging rapidly, Callie told us. "They could not complete repairs nor could they afford to have the work done professionally," she said.
Two groups — one from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the other from Humboldt, Tennessee — completed the project, with the Louisiana team removing the old rotting porch and replacing it, and the Tennessee team painting and repairing the exterior. Callie pointed out that a majority of the volunteers were teenagers, and "under the supervision of their adult leaders, they did an INCREDIBLE job! Thank you Americans Helping Americans® for your continued partnership."
2026 Home Rehabilitation Grants: What's Planned
For 2026, Americans Helping Americans® has budgeted a total of $55,500 in cash grants for AMOS, BCPIA, CMO, and Ocoee Outreach for home repair projects. This investment continues our commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty in Appalachia one home at a time.
According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, Central Appalachia remains one of the most economically distressed regions in the United States, with poverty rates significantly above the national average — making programs like these more critical than ever.
AMOS — East Tennessee
AMOS' Home Repair Ministry serves a four-county area in East Tennessee — Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, and Hamblen — by providing home repairs at no cost to families living in substandard conditions.
"Funding will be used to address critical needs in an effort to keep the family in the home and prevent homelessness," stated AMOS Executive Director Jean-Ann Washam in their 2026 grant application. Families served include the disabled, elderly, single parents, veterans, and indigent families. Short-term mission teams are recruited to serve throughout the year. "This allows AMOS to reduce the cost of labor and stretch the funding to serve additional families," she said.
Funding will be used to purchase building materials for home repair projects for indigent families living in East Tennessee. Jean-Ann said that AMOS is the only ongoing program in the area that serves these families at no cost. AMOS accepts applications on an ongoing basis but currently has a backlog of applications. Families are referred by the school system, social services agencies, local church congregations, and home health care providers.
"If AMOS did not provide home repairs to struggling families in East Tennessee at no cost, some of these families would be forced to move in with other family members, go to a nursing home, or become homeless," Jean-Ann told us. With grant funding from Americans Helping Americans®, AMOS expects to provide home repairs to seven families — a total of 12 individuals.
BCPIA — McDowell County, West Virginia
BCPIA posted on its Facebook page in January that "We are excited to share that several groups are already lining up to help serve our community this year. We want to let everyone know that housing applications are accepted year-round, giving all families the opportunity to apply. All services provided are completely free."
Dyanne told us in her 2026 grant request that McDowell County has the lowest housing standards and values in the state of West Virginia. "Many of our citizens suffer because they are not physically able or have the financial resources to improve their living conditions," says Dyanne. She explained that "We collaborate with many colleges and churches throughout the country who want to make a difference by giving their time and energy to our community."
The grant funding from Americans Helping Americans® "enables us to purchase the supplies and keep all of the members of the group busy and to complete the project in the time period the group is here. This will prevent someone having a half-finished bathroom for several weeks while waiting on another group to come in to finish the project."
In addition to the county having the lowest standard of housing in the state, Dyanne provided the following statistics illustrating the challenges they face: 67 percent of the houses in the county were built before 1940, half of which are rated below normal quality levels.
"Having adequate housing is important for the health and welfare of the community," says Dyanne. "The expected results of our Housing Rehabilitation Program will be that families will have one less thing to worry about if we are able to fix the health and safety hazards in their homes. There are people in our community who have actual holes in their floors. There are problems here that we cannot fix, such as geographic isolation and flooding disasters. But with the help of Americans Helping Americans® and so many dedicated volunteers, we can make a difference in people's lives by fixing the holes in their floors and putting a roof over their heads."
She added that BCPIA would not be able to work on people's homes without the funding. "Without Americans Helping Americans® funding, many families will have to be turned away."
CMO — Beattyville, Kentucky
In Beattyville, Cynthia told us in her 2026 grant request that the cash grant from Americans Helping Americans® assists church groups with much-needed home repair materials, which are purchased locally. "The money goes directly to Lee County Building Supply in Beattyville for the materials used at each worksite," she said.
"Many of the homes that we work on are mobile homes 20 years past their expiration date or homes that have been homesteaded for generations," she explained. "The church groups that come in raise their money through spaghetti dinners and other fundraisers but can in no way raise the funds needed for such an undertaking. The people living here in Appalachia can barely support themselves from month to month, let alone fix the holes in the floors or the leaks in the roof."
This year, Cynthia said CMO's goal is to provide home repairs to 15 households benefiting 30 individuals. Without the grant funding from Americans Helping Americans®, "the church groups would not be able to build handicap ramps, porches, fix holes in floors, etc."
Ocoee Outreach — Bradley County, Tennessee
Ocoee Outreach, a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to address the pressing needs of those living in substandard housing," will use its $20,000 grant from Americans Helping Americans® "to help finance the rehabilitation of 10 houses owned by very low-income families. These funds will provide for close to half of the costs for anticipated materials and equipment needed for each unit," stated Callie in her 2026 grant application.
Total funds needed for materials and equipment will average approximately $2,000 per house and will include improvements such as roof repairs and replacement, painting, wheelchair ramps, windows, siding, general carpentry, and interior projects that might include flooring, ceilings, plumbing, electrical, and more. "The purpose of the project is to make the homes livable, eliminate substandard housing, and alleviate any health hazards," says Callie. "Ocoee Outreach will provide rehabilitation assistance to qualified homeowners living in Bradley County and cities/towns within the county."
In addition, Callie notes, "This project is also intended to improve living conditions, renew the community as a more attractive place to live, while helping homeowners take pride in their homes."
And Jean-Ann comments that "Americans Helping Americans® is a vital part of our Home Repair Ministry. The funding we receive makes it possible to serve our neighbors living in substandard conditions. In addition to meeting their physical needs, our goal is to connect with the family beyond the home repair that is made.
