The Mission of Hope was born in response to a local television station broadcast, WBIR’s “Hunger for Hope” story.
During this broadcast, TV news anchor Bill Williams informed us of the destitution and poverty in rural Appalachia by showing us real life examples of children and families who suffer from physical hunger in the mountains, hills and hollows of southeastern Kentucky.
The men and women of Appalachia are a proud people with a long heritage of self reliance and independence. They have been blessed with the natural beauty of the mountains as their home for many generations. Unfortunately, many families in Appalachia have lost hope for a successful future because they only see the results of poverty, broken families, loss of jobs, and depleted coal mining economies. There are many places around the world that could use your help, but this is where you have an opportunity to make a difference in your back yard, Appalachia.
Since 1996, the Mission of Hope has ministered to the people of various counties in Kentucky and Tennessee from which 80% of the region’s residents no longer have jobs in the coal mining industry. In our first event in 1996 we were able to assist 150 children. Last year because of the generosity of so many people, the Mission of Hope was able to help over 13,000 children and their families with food, clothes, toys and hygiene items.
Many of the people we assist are caught in the pockets of poverty and as a result have lost all hope for their future. With your help and with God’s love we can help bring new hope to many.