Helping people in need means showing up with compassion, resources, and real solutions. In Appalachia, that help is more critical than ever. Across the region, millions of families face daily challenges: empty cupboards, crumbling homes, lack of access to education, and limited medical care. These struggles are not temporary. They’re rooted in generational poverty, geographic isolation, and underinvestment.
But there is good news. Whether you’re looking to support someone today or help build a stronger future, there are ways to make a difference. From emergency food boxes to education programs that break the cycle of poverty, every action counts. Together, we can bring relief, opportunity, and dignity to families across Appalachia. This guide outlines clear and powerful ways you can start helping others in need right now.
Why Help Is Needed: The Reality in Appalachia
When we talk about how to help people in need, it’s important to understand the scale and urgency of the challenges they face. In Appalachia, those challenges are rooted in persistent, systemic poverty and rural isolation.
As of 2024, 14.3% of Appalachian residents live below the poverty line, a rate higher than the national average. In some rural communities, especially in Central Appalachia, the numbers are even more severe. Nearly 1 in 5 rural children in Appalachia live in poverty, and over 47% of households facing poverty rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table.
Digital access is another barrier. About 17.5% of rural Appalachian households lack internet access, cutting them off from online education, job opportunities, and healthcare. Disability rates among working-age adults are six points higher than rural national averages, adding further strain on families. And only 15.8% of adults in Central Appalachia hold a bachelor’s degree, limiting access to higher-paying jobs and career mobility.
These numbers come from the 2024 Appalachian Regional Commission report, and they reflect why helping those in need across Appalachia requires both immediate aid and long-term solutions. Families, children, seniors, and veterans are all affected by these structural challenges. We break down the root causes in more depth in our resource on addressing poverty in Appalachia and exploring solutions.
Simple and Powerful Ways to Help People in Need
Donate to Organizations Making a Local Impact
One of the most direct ways to help people in need is by donating to organizations that are already embedded in Appalachian communities. At Americans Helping Americans, we work year-round to provide food, housing repairs, school supplies, and emergency relief to families across the region. Your gift can immediately support those struggling with hunger, financial hardship, and other urgent needs, while also investing in long-term solutions like education and job training.
Whether you’re looking for ongoing ways to help or simply want to make a difference today, donating is a powerful first step in helping others in need.
Food Bank Support
One of the most immediate ways of helping those in need is making sure families have enough to eat. We regularly ship out thousands of food boxes to our partners across Appalachia and beyond. Each box weighs about 25 pounds and contains pantry staples like canned vegetables, meats, soups, pasta, rice, and beans. Enough to feed a family of four for an entire week.
This support reaches families facing hunger in some of the most underserved communities in the country. At Friendship Central School in New York, staff described the 924 food boxes they received as “a welcomed blessing” for their students’ families. In Maryland, Restoration at the Well shared that the boxes were a “tremendous help” to parents recovering from addiction who are working to give their children a fair start in life.
In Tennessee, Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies used holiday food grants to provide hundreds of families with turkeys and hams, ensuring they wouldn’t go without a warm meal. And in Kentucky, Cumberland Mountain Outreach distributed vouchers and hosted Christmas meals for over 400 families.
These efforts show how even a single food box can offer both nourishment and dignity to families in crisis. Our food bank support program makes that possible by connecting donated resources directly to Appalachian families who need them most.
Education Programs
One of the most effective ways to help people in need is by investing in education. Americans Helping Americans provides teacher grants to support creative classroom projects, purchase essential supplies, and ensure students have what they need to succeed. In communities where school funding is limited, these grants help level the playing field.
We also support back-to-school programs to make sure no child starts the year without the tools to learn. At the 2024 Back to School Bash in Jefferson City, Tennessee, more than 670 children received backpacks filled with school supplies, along with food boxes and dental kits for 260 families. Our local partner, Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies (AMOS), made it possible with our support.
“One little girl (a third grader) was so excited to receive her own backpack. It broke my heart that this was the first new backpack she had ever gotten,” said AMOS Executive Director Jean-Ann Washam.
Events like this do more than just distribute school supplies. They connect families with additional resources and help kids feel seen, supported, and excited for the school year. Our education and vocational training programs continue to empower young people across Appalachia, creating brighter futures one classroom at a time.
Emergency Relief
When natural disasters strike, low-income communities in Appalachia often face the harshest consequences. Helping those in need during these moments means acting quickly and meeting people where they are with food, shelter, and critical supplies.
Americans Helping Americans provides fast, life-sustaining support like hurricane relief through our emergency relief program, delivering essentials like food boxes, bottled water, hygiene kits, diapers, and more. In 2024 alone, we:
- Distributed 11,424 food boxes
- Repaired 134 homes
- Provided $500,000 in emergency flood aid
- Supplied 2,700 students with school supplies
When Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented flooding to parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, our team responded immediately. In Tazewell County, Virginia, our partner Labor of Love Mission described the scene: homes washed away, bridges collapsed, and families left with nothing.
“The nonperishable food boxes Americans Helping Americans sent were the biggest blessing,” shared Director Rene Steele. “You REALLY do not know what a need you met, and it came at the perfect time! Our people were hungry, couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel… We are so blessed to have AHA in our communities’ lives.”
Disasters don’t wait for communities to be ready. That’s why our emergency response efforts are designed to act quickly, restore stability, and remind families that they’re not alone in their time of greatest need.
Help Without Spending Money
Not everyone can give financially, but helping others in need doesn’t always require a donation. Your time, voice, and skills can make a meaningful difference in the lives of Appalachian families.
Volunteer Your Time or Skills
Volunteering with trusted partner organizations is one of the most direct ways to help. Whether you’re organizing supplies, repairing homes, or mentoring youth, your support strengthens the backbone of local aid efforts.
Appalachian Outreach
This organization in Jefferson City, Tennessee, provides food, clothing, home repair, and spiritual support to families in crisis. Volunteers can help distribute goods, work on homes, or assist with children’s programs. Their mission centers on “serving those who need a hand up, not just a handout.”
Big Creek People in Action
Located in McDowell County, West Virginia, Big Creek People in Action runs youth programs, family support services, and community development projects. Volunteers help with educational activities, home repairs, and special events that build long-term resilience in one of the most underserved areas in Appalachia.
Share the Mission on Social Media
Spreading the word is another powerful way of helping those in need. Sharing posts from Americans Helping Americans on platforms like Facebook or Instagram introduces our work to a wider audience and can inspire others to give, volunteer, or get involved.
You can also start a Facebook birthday fundraiser or share a blog post that moved you. A single share could be the reason someone else decides to take action.
Your Support Makes a Lasting Difference
When you give to Americans Helping Americans, you’re doing more than offering short-term relief. You’re helping break cycles of poverty and build long-term stability across Appalachia. Each backpack distributed, each repaired home, and each food box delivered is a step toward a stronger, more resilient community.
For nearly 40 years, we’ve worked hand in hand with local partners to improve the lives of families living in some of the most impoverished areas of the country. And in 2024, your generosity helped us deliver meaningful change:
- Over 10,000 food boxes distributed, each providing meals for a family of four for an entire week
- 3,000 holiday meals shared with families who might have otherwise gone without
- Hundreds of students served through after-school programs
- Thousands of winter coats and blankets provided for harsh Appalachian winters
These numbers aren’t just statistics; they represent children learning with dignity, seniors staying warm through winter, and families beginning to rebuild after disaster. With your support, we can do even more in 2025.
Be a part of something bigger. Your support today can change a life tomorrow. Make a donation and help us bring hope to families who need it most.
