As we count down the days to our Walk For Hope on Saturday, August 17, we can't help but think about the importance of family in the development of a child.

According to Children's HealthWatch, a safe, stable home is important for a child’s physical and mental health today and their growth and learning abilities tomorrow. But many children in Appalachia do not have a safe and stable home due to the devastating effect of drugs on entire family units. That is why we are asking you to join us at the walk. There's nothing more important right now than addressing the crisis of children in our community suffering neglect, abuse and hopelessness because of addiction in their family.

By attending our walk, you will help us raise awareness of this issue as we raise the funds we need to open our new Children's Resource Center. Because this is a new program, we need to hire part-time staff, acquire a rental facility and purchase supplies and resources that will provide emergency relief to children in homes of active addiction. We have set a goal of $30,000 to make this happen, and every dollar you help us bring in at Walk For Hope will be used for this cause.

Studies show that kids in homes where addiction is present are more likely to walk the same destructive path. That's why we can no longer look the other way or only focus our efforts on addressing the problems of addiction later in life. We must act now and share the hope and love of Christ with those who need it most. Nothing is more precious in life than our children.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Register for our Walk For Hope.
2. Invite a friend or family member to walk with you.
3. Donate $100 to our resource center.

That's it. Small steps really do make a big difference.

On Saturday, we'll get started with activities and checking in walkers at 8 a.m. At 9, we will all walk together for three laps.

We'll see you there!

So, you've heard about our Children’s Resource Center and signed up for our Walk for Hope to help use raise start-up funds needed to open it this fall. You may have even set a fundraising goal for you or your team. You might be wondering, "What do I do next? How do I actually raise money for Hope For Appalachia?"

Whether you've set a fundraising goal of $100 you or each walker on your team, or plan to raise as much as you can, actually raising the funds can be tricky. So, here's a four easy things you can do to meet your fundraising goal and help us launch this important resource center to help kids in homes of active addiction.
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​Start a Facebook Fundraiser
Starting a Facebook fundraiser is a simple and effective way to reach your goal. Create a fundraiser for Hope for Appalachia and share it with your friends and family. Whether local or out of state, any Facebook user can help support you as you raise funds and awareness for recovery in West Virginia.

Setting up a Facebook fundraiser only takes a few minutes. Click here to watch how easy it is!

Monetize a Hobby
​Monetizing a hobby is a great way for you to use your unique gifts and skills to raise money. For example, if you have a family recipe that you think others would love, a great way to raise some money would be offering cookies and other delicious treats to your friends and family. You can bake and deliver the food as orders come in, or simply set a date that you’ll do all of the deliveries on.

Baking, painting, and gardening are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are endless. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
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Host a Yard Sale
Hosting a yard sale during the summer is a great way to raise money while getting rid of the extra stuff laying around your house. Proceeds can go towards your efforts in the Walk for Hope, and items that go unsold can be passed on to other charities and thrift stores in the area.

Get Your Kids Involved
If your kids are participating in the walk this year and you’re looking for ways to get them excited and involved, let them give an extra hand around the house and reward them with a small donation! If they’re old enough, people in the neighborhood may let them walk their dogs or help in the yard this time of year.

No matter how you go about fundraising, don’t forget to say "thank you!" Let everyone know that you appreciate their support for this great cause.

Walk For Hope will be at the West Virginia State Capitol on Saturday, August 17. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the walk will start at 9 a.m. It’s free to register, but we're asking each walker to try and raise $100 to help us meet our goal. Raising $100 will earn you a free walk t-shirt!

If you haven’t registered for the walk, click the "I Want to Walk" button below and sign up today! You can participate as an individual or get a team together. If you can't participate, click "I Want to Donate" and make a donation toward our Children's Resource Center in the amount of your choice or become a regularly monthly sponsor.

This year our Walk for Hope at the West Virginia State Capitol will be Saturday, August 17th at 9 a.m. and will be dedicated to raising start-up funds for our Children’s Resource Center. Help us raise the necessary funds by starting a team or walking as an individual. Recruit your friends to join your team to help you reach and exceed your fundraising goal!

We're asking each walker to try and raise $100 to help us meet our goal. Starting a Facebook fundraiser is a simple way to help you reach that goal. Create a a fundraiser for Hope for Appalachia and share it with your friends and family. Whether local or out of state, any one can help support you as you raise funds and awareness for recovery in West Virginia. Raise $100 and receive a free walk t-shirt!

Registration and activities begin at 8 a.m. There will be many opportunities for you to learn more about our mission and why Hope for Appalachia is advocating for recovery in West Virginia. Registration and activities will start at 8 a.m. At 9 a.m. we will all walk together for 3 laps around our State Capitol to support children in the homes of active addiction. Each lap is about 6/10 of a mile. You can also honor someone who has fought for recovery by donating a luminary in their name. Each luminary will have a special place on the walk route to symbolize the number of people addiction has effected.

Help us spread the word about Walk For Hope on social media by inviting your friends and family to participate or become a sponsor! And if you can't participate, please consider making a donation toward our Children's Resource Center in the amount of your choice or becoming a regularly monthly partner with us. Give directly to this project by clicking here.

Over the past few years we have served many men and women who are battling addiction. Some in our residential home and many in our outreach program. Through this time we have watched many children of active addicts suffer neglect, abuse and hopelessness. As studies demonstrate, children in the homes of addiction are much more likely to walk the same destructive path. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 8.3 million children under the age of 18 live in a household where at least one parent is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

In light of our experiences, the Hope for Appalachia leadership team and board of directors have decided to expand our program to serve and care for children in the homes of active addiction. It is our goal to develop a multi-faceted approach to help the whole family and to especially serve children. We can no longer neglect those who are suffering the most. To do this we will launch a Children’s Resource Center.

This program will be designed to provide short-term emergency relief to children in homes of active addiction and to connect their families with existing support systems and community resources. No child should suffer as a result of their parents decisions. Hope for Appalachia will step into the lives of these families in order to provide short-term and long-term support for these children and be an advocate for their future.
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To do this we need your help. We have set a goal to raise $30,000 over the next few months to hire a part-time director of our resource center, secure a small rental facility and begin purchasing needed resources. We've realized there is a great need for something like this as we have spoken with various organizations we will partner with, such as after school programs, schools and police departments. Will you step up to help us launch our Children’s Resource Center? Please, consider making a one-time donation toward our goal, becoming a monthly-partner and spreading the word about Hope For Appalachia.