Thanks to the supporters of Americans Helping Americans®, in 2026 through our in-kind basic needs program we were able to provide 16,379 boxes of food containing enough non-perishable food items to feed a family of four for up to a week.
“Since our inception,” states Americans Helping Americans® executive director Cameron Krizek, “Americans Helping Americans® has been about providing direct aid to people in need.
“It has been a lifeline for so many in their darkest times.”
Each year, our grassroots partners serving low-income residents in Appalachian communities tell us what they need, “and we deliver,” said Cameron.
“Right now, they are telling us people are hungry.”
To address the growing hunger in the communities we serve, for this year we are significantly increasing the number of food boxes to ship to our partners to 28,200.
However, as Cameron explains, there is much more to our in-kind program than food boxes, including winter coats, blankets and dental kits, along with school supplies in the late summer to ensure that thousands of elementary and middle school students are prepared with the items they need beginning on the very first day of school.
“Our partners service youth and homeless adults that are in need of proper clothing to weather the cold winters Appalachia experiences,” he said.
“In addition, Appalachian youth face unique and well documented dental health challenges due to higher average added sugar and sugary beverage consumption and lack of fruits and vegetables on top of inaccessibility of oral care professionals.”
This past year, Americans Helping Americans® worked with community partners in several states to provide them with the in-kind items they distributed in their service areas.
Regarding back-to-school items, Cameron reported a total of 4,239 school kits were distributed. Additionally, eight more schools received custom school supplies benefiting 4,420 more students – all with a combined fair market value of $437,103.
“By securing products below their full value, Americans Helping Americans® was able to stretch resources while partners ensured the right supplies reached students,” said Cameron.
Food insecurity remained one of the most widespread needs reported by our partners. In addition to providing food boxes, Americans Helping Americans® awarded $101,700 in cash grants to support food banks, summer feeding programs, and holiday food distributions, benefiting more than 13,100 individuals.
The grants were reinforced by the food boxes, which had a documented fair market value of nearly $729,000.
“Cash grants and in-kind support are most effective when they work together,” says Cameron.
“Partners use both forms of support to build a response around the needs they see in their own communities.”
During the holiday season, Americans Helping Americans® provided frozen turkeys to our partner, Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The turkeys were included in food boxes distributed to 330 households, benefiting 1,015 individuals.
Our partner in Tazewell, Virginia, continued its 23-year tradition of assisting families during the holidays with 929 individuals benefiting from turkeys and fixings. At Christmas, another 854 individuals received sliced hams and side dishes and 276 children received a coat, blanket and dental kits from Americans Helping Americans®.
However, noted Cameron, “Winter distributions added material support on a much larger scale.”
In total, last winter, Americans Helping Americans® provided 2,620 adult winter coats, 1,632 youth coats and 2,000 blankets with a combined fair market value of nearly $208,000.
Americans Helping Americans® also provided 3,000 dental kits containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss to our Appalachian partners. These partners teach children proper brushing techniques and the importance of dental hygiene. According to our partners, some of these children have never had their own toothbrush.
This winter, Americans Helping Americans® is acquiring 1,392 youth coats, 1,008 men’s coats, 600 women’s coats, 600 junior men’s coats, and 600 junior women’s coats, along with 1,200 blankets made of 100% cotton and 560 polar fleece blankets that will be shipped to eight of our partners in Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
For Americans Helping Americans®, “in-kind support is not a separate side project,” says Cameron.
“It is one of the ways Americans Helping Americans® helps partners deliver a complete program.
“Food boxes strengthen food banks, summer feeding, and holiday distributions.
“Coats and blankets reinforce winter and holiday assistance.
“School kits and dental kits strengthen back-to-school events.”
In McDowell County, West Virginia, our partner Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA) executive director Dyanne Spriggs told us last year that 150 children and 100 adults received a new winter coat to keep them warm and protected in the winter.
She explained that BCPIA simply would not have the funds to purchase and distribute these essential supplies to local families without support from Americans Helping Americans®.
“Because of our partnership with Americans Helping Americans®, families will have dental kits to keep them healthy; kids will have a new book bag and school supplies to start the new school year; and kids and adults will have a coat and blanket to keep them warm throughout the winter,” says Dyanne, who for this coming year has requested 150 children’s and 150 adult winter coats, 300 school kits, 500 dental kits and 250 blankets.
“Families served through our in-kind donation distributions are very appreciative of what they receive to help their families live a more comfortable life and get basic necessities they may not have otherwise.”
