Mennonite Central CommitteeHindman Settlement School and the Mennonite Central Committee's (MCC) Appalachia Program have worked in partnership since 1980. MCC has provided skilled volunteers to assist the Settlement School with its education and outreach programs while the Settlement School has provided housing and community support for the volunteers.
In the early years, MCC volunteers were instrumental in staffing some of the educational extension efforts of the Settlement School. More recently, they have served as tutors for the Adult Learning Center and dyslexia program as well as staffing the Marie Stewart Museum & Crafts Shop.
Housing Assistance ProgramCurrent MCC volunteers coordinate the Knott County Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP) program a "Serve and Learn" program that provides safe, warm and dry housing for families living in substandard housing in five Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia counties.
The program draws volunteers of all ages from many parts of the country. Work groups travel to Knott County and are housed by the Hindman United Methodist Church. In the past three years, the SWAP program has helped more than 50 families in Knott County. They have also helped more than 500 volunteers to:
- Gain a relationship with these homeowners;
- Learn about Appalachian culture;
- Participate in a week of home repair; and
- Reflect about service to others.
If you are interested in making a donation to support the SWAP Program, you can download a list of Hindman Location SWAP Needs for 2009.
Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP)
Peter & Kristin Farquharson | MCC SWAP Location Coordinators/Developers
Phone/Fax: 606.785.0552 | Cell: 606.634.6054
E-mail: SWAPHindmanLC@mcc.org
SWAP reminded me that there is a lot of poverty still in this country that we are not aware of.
Eric Horst, Former volunteer and law student at Temple University
© 2010 Hindman Settlement School | 606.785.5475