Volunteer in Appalachia with the resilient people of Fayette County. Deep in the “hollers” memorialized by American songwriters are West Virginia “empowerment zones,” characterized by high poverty and low employment. Here in friendly coal-mining towns, you volunteer in a part of the USA most Americans have forgotten. Contribute your time and skills, and share a world largely misunderstood by casual visitors – acquainting you with the dreams, goals, struggles and successes of Appalachian people. Work one-on-one with children, teens and adults on education, labor, and cultural projects – as a cherished volunteer in Appalachia!
Service program fees are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers when you follow our itinerary. Select the community below to see available dates. After you select a specific program, you can register to volunteer in Appalachia by providing your $350 deposit. Available discounts are explained here. If you prefer, you may print a text registration form and submit it by mail or fax. Children under age 18 must register as a minor and travel with a parent or adult legal guardian. Please call a volunteer coordinator at (800) 487-1074 for help if needed for any of these steps.
Your team leader is a Global Volunteers alumni or staff member who has completed our comprehensive team leader training, and is skilled in leading diverse groups of people. All of our team leaders are certified in CPR and 1st Aid, and have served on multiple service programs – some up to 50 times and more! Further, they’re evaluated by the volunteers on each service program, and must achieve an established level of performance in order to continue leading Global Volunteers teams. All of our team leaders are exceptional people and you’ll receive background information on your team leader approximately four weeks before your service program begins.
Plan your flight to arrive in Charleston, West Virginia (airport code CRW), before 4:00 PM on Saturday and departure after 11:00 AM on the following Saturday. We will meet you and your teammates at the airport and transport you to the host community of Beards Fork, and return you to the airport at the end of the service program. Optionally, you may also drive independently to the community either from home or the airport. Whether you are driving or flying, if you are delayed, please contact us with your updated arrival plans. Global Volunteers’ service program officially begins with the Saturday evening meal and ends with breakfast on the following Saturday. Your volunteer orientation materials include directions to your team meeting place in Beards Fork.
Your health, safety and security is our top priority. Your lodging, food and transportation are provided always with a mind to help you ensure your health, safety and security while at the work site and lodging facility. Your team leader is trained in CPR and first aid. Read more about health and safety here.
We urge you to pack sunscreen, insect repellant, a wide-brimmed hat and a water bottle for outside work. It is unlikely that you will encounter wild animals or poisonous insects or snakes at the work sites or lodging facilities. However, stray dogs may be present and we encourage you not to pet them due to fleas. We strongly recommend you consult your physician, public health clinic and/or travel clinic for detailed travel health information, and to make sure your tetanus and other vaccinations are up to date.
Ample time is provided after the work day to enjoy local natural and culture attractions – which include local concerts, museum visits, souvenir shopping, hiking trails, swimming, and participating in community events and celebrations. As a Global Volunteer, you have the unique opportunity to experience the community as a “non-tourist” and participate in daily activities with local residents. While our non-profit status prevents us from organizing free-time activities, tours of the area can be arranged for the weekend the service program concludes.
Appalachian culture and history are engaging for families of all backgrounds and ages. Children 8 and older can fully participate in work projects, team meetings and free time. As Global Volunteers, your family obtains a direct, “hands on” experience of life in rural coal country – and gains respect for those living within the limitations of economic poverty. Stereotypes are dispelled, assumptions are challenged, friendships are made. You learn first-hand about the myths and legends that formed the spirit-rich Appalachian culture spanning multiple generations.
Each day, you provide a needed service, working with children, teens and adults – who share their own struggles, hopes, dreams and challenges. Together with your teammates, you learn that despite our differences at birth, we’re all far more alike than different. Children return with an authentic, age-appropriate point of view which informs their future life choices.
Service programs are conveniently scheduled during spring and summer breaks from school. Parents and guardians are expected to supervise their child volunteers, and collaborate with our team leader and local partners to maximize the service experience for everyone. In this way, youth form a rare, personal perspective of this unique culture beyond textbook depictions and legends. What’s more, they may gain life-long friends in one of the country’s least-understood populations.
Student and corporate groups of all kinds have served in the hollows of West Virginia – contributing needed skills while strengthening their commitment to effective teamwork. Our proprietary orientation and team building processes have been refined over three decades, enabling you to optimize your contribution. Because of the wide variety of volunteer projects, every member of your group can fully engage their unique skills and interests in meaningful service. We work with you to customize your program to learn about each other in a non-traditional way as an intact volunteer team. With advanced preparation, you can be certain that your unique contributions on genuine development projects advance the futures of those you serve.
For instance, students from an American pharmacy school worked with their healthcare counterparts in Beards Fork and learned about prevailing conditions in the county, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and the like. A group of student nurses from the Community College of Philadelphia taught school children about dental hygiene and hand washing with soap and water while other team members helped unload food trucks to distribute groceries to local families in need. An employee group “blitzed” a rehabilitation project to clean and convert an elementary school building into a community center.
At the end of the work day, you can gather together for folk songs, museum visits, or group reflection on local culture from various perspectives.
Since 1999, our volunteers in Appalachia have supplied essential services to our partner’s innovative community revitalization programs in West Virginia’s Fayette County. The Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS) provides education, research, and networking for working class and disenfranchised peoples – and rehabilitates dilapidated and energy inefficient homes for low income families. Review a standard Volunteer in Appalachia work-day schedule here.
1 week programs available
Fees From:
$1,045
Projects Include:
Teaching, Labor
Local time:
Your health and safety as a volunteer in Appalachia are our top priorities. Lodging is dormitory style in the Beards Fork Southern Appalachian Labor School dorm, with large rooms and shared bathrooms divided by gender. Smaller private rooms may be available for families with young children if requested in advance.
Breakfast is self-serve at the lodging facility, with packed or provided lunch at the work sites. Evening meals are prepared by a local cook at the lodging facility. Specialties are typical Appalachian and Southern American “soul food” – greens, fried chicken, sausage, cornbread, green and pinto beans, squash casserole, mashed potatoes and the like. Strict vegetarian and other restrictive diets may not be easily accommodated. Local water is safe; bottled water is available.
Be The Change.
Through important, full-day volunteer assignments and free-time activities, you learn about Appalachian culture and the significant ways you improve children’s and families’ lives. Our time-tested and proven philosophy of service ensures your efforts help advance the host community’s development vision and goals. You contribute to genuine community-based projects, and in doing so, you’re accepted as family. Our commitment to engage short-term volunteers on long-term community projects in partnership with local people enables you, in just a short time, to serve as a critical link in a chain of volunteer support spanning three decades.
Learn how to volunteer in Appalachia on our program blog and through these selected posts:
Work with Children and Youth in Appalachia
A Day on a West Virginia Volunteer Vacation
Reflection on a Week in West Virginia
