Americans Helping Americans

10/10/2026

🥪 “I couldn’t afford to feed my kids this summer.”

That’s what one mother told our partner American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 9-1-1 in Atlanta.

When school lets out for summer, school breakfast and lunch programs pause too. For families already having a hard time keeping up with groceries, that can leave a pretty big gap to fill.

AMVETS started its Meals for Minors on Wheels program with 22 families representing 74 children. They even asked families what their children normally ate so they could provide food they would actually use and reduce waste.
For this mom, that help came when she really needed it.

“I couldn’t afford to feed my kids this summer, and I am so grateful to Americans Helping Americans® and AMVETS Post 9-1-1.”

Across our summer feeding programs in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia, more than 5,300 students received meals last summer.

❤️ Because summer break shouldn't mean a child has to wonder where their next meal is coming from.

10/09/2026

🍎 “You just don’t know what it means to me to be able to receive food that I can eat.”

Those words came from an older adult who receives food through LampMinistries, one of our partners in Georgia.

Living on a fixed income, there isn’t always room in her budget when grocery prices go up or something unexpected comes along.

“It is hard living on a fixed income, but Americans Helping Americans® and LAMP has made a way for me.”

And with the holidays approaching, LAMP also holds local food distributions to reach older adults, families without transportation, and households facing unexpected hardships.

❤️ For families already stretching their budgets, having somewhere nearby to turn for food can make a big difference—especially during the holidays.

👉 Read more about how our partners are helping families and individuals facing food insecurity across Appalachia: https://helpingamericans.org/how-americans-helping-americans-is-fighting-food-insecurity-across-appalachia/

10/06/2026

𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀.

Enough groceries to feed a family. A safe home to live in. The ability to take your child—or yourself—to the doctor when you’re sick. And when an emergency happens, somewhere to turn for help.

These are basic needs, but for some families, they can be really difficult to consistently have access to.

So, throughout October, we’re taking a closer look at how Americans Helping Americans® helps families across Appalachia meet four basic needs: food, housing, health, and emergency relief.

And we’re starting with food. 🍎

From food boxes and local pantries to summer meals for children, our food programs are designed around what communities tell us they need.

Learn more about our food programs: https://helpingamericans.org/how-americans-helping-americans-is-fighting-food-insecurity-across-appalachia/

10/01/2026

🧰 What could a set of tools become? Just ask Cameron Whitt.

Cameron just graduated from Greenup County Area Technology Center—and he left his mark before he went.

He became the first student in the school’s history to earn certifications in three different career areas: welding, automotive technology and industrial electricity. And he took more than 60 certification tests to get there! 👏

Through our Want2Work program, Cameron also received a welding helmet, electrical tools and automotive tools that he can take with him as he starts his career.

And we’re not the only ones excited about what he accomplished. Cameron was recently featured in Kentucky Teacher!
Next up, he plans to continue his training through an electrical union apprenticeship. ⚡

👏 Help us congratulate Cameron, then check out his feature in Kentucky Teacher:

Cameron Whitt graduated in May from the Greenup County Area Technology Center with three career pathway certifications, including automotive technology,

09/29/2026

🩺 Cora already knows where she wants to go next.

After tearing her ACL and spending a lot of time at doctor’s appointments and physical therapy, Cora became even more sure of something she was already considering: she wanted a career in healthcare.

Now a senior, she’s working toward her nursing assistant certification while also working evenings and weekends caring for an elderly patient.

When Cora earns her certification, she’ll receive a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope kit through our Want2Work program—tools she can take with her as she keeps working toward a career in healthcare.

And Cora is just one of hundreds of students Want2Work is helping prepare for what comes after graduation. ❤️

You can be part of what comes next. Your gift can help provide the tools, equipment and certifications young people across Appalachia need to get started in their careers.

👉 Read her story: https://helpingamericans.org/how-want2work-helped-cora-start-a-career-in-healthcare/

09/24/2026

Less than a year ago, Trey was struggling with attendance, behavior, and staying on track to graduate. Today, he’s working with the Iron Workers Union.

When Trey transferred schools for his senior year, he told his teachers he wanted a fresh start—and he meant it.

He showed up, got to work, and earned multiple welding certifications. When he finished them, his instructor gave him a professional welding helmet funded through our Want2Work program—something Trey said he had no idea how he would afford on his own.

Now, he’s working while finishing his last two high school credits, is on track to graduate with his classmates, and has even become a mentor to other welding students. 🙌

That’s a lot of progress in one school year. 🙌

Read more about Trey: https://helpingamericans.org/kentucky-student-starts-welding-career-with-help-from-want2work/

09/18/2026

🧰 A welding helmet. A pair of scrubs. A set of automotive tools.
They may look like ordinary work supplies.

But in the hands of a student preparing for a career, what could they become?

A first certification. Hands-on experience. A first job. The beginning of a career.

Through Want2Work, Americans Helping Americans® provides grants to career and technical education schools across Appalachia to help cover the tools, equipment, professional clothing, certification fees and other expenses students need to move from training into the workforce.

This school year, we're providing grants to six career and technical centers in Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia, helping hundreds of students prepare for what comes next.

👉 Learn more about Want2Work: https://helpingamericans.org/helping-appalachian-students-prepare-for-careers-through-the-want2work-program/

09/15/2026

Through Barefeet, children don’t simply receive whatever pair happens to be available. In Lee County, Kentucky, families attend special shopping events where students can choose a brand-new pair that fits their size and their style.

And there’s another part we love: the shoes are purchased from Rose Bros., a family-owned department store in downtown Beattyville that’s been serving the community since 1931.

So the program doesn’t just help local children—it also keeps those dollars in the community. 👟❤️

Want to help make the next shopping trip possible? Learn more about Barefeet and how you can support the program: https://aha.donorsupport.co/page/FUNHZUVCVRJ

09/09/2026

👟 For two years, Linda’s granddaughters hadn’t had a decent pair of shoes.

The last pairs they received were used. So when they had the chance to pick out brand-new shoes for themselves, Linda noticed what that small choice meant to them.

“𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.”

Through our Barefeet program, Americans Helping Americans® works with partners like LAMP Ministries to help children in Appalachian communities get new shoes that fit—and, when possible, experience the excitement of choosing a pair for themselves.

For Linda’s granddaughters, that meant going home with new shoes and socks they were excited to wear. ❤️

👟 Help give another child that same experience: https://aha.donorsupport.co/page/FUNHZUVCVRJ

09/04/2026

👟 Shoes probably aren't the first thing you think about when you think about school attendance.

But for some children in distressed Appalachian communities, not having a pair of properly fitting shoes can become another barrier to comfortably participating in the school day.

Through our Barefeet program, Americans Helping Americans® provides funding to local partners in Georgia, Kentucky, and West Virginia to purchase new, properly fitting shoes for children who need them.

This year, we expect to help 355 children and youth receive a new pair of shoes.
And during Attendance Awareness Month, it’s a reminder that sometimes supporting a student starts with meeting a very basic need. 👟❤️

Read more: https://helpingamericans.org/providing-new-shoes-to-children-across-appalachia/