God’s Appalachian Partnership celebrates 25 years as building expansion nears completion
Nestled in a valley of Floyd County, the ministry outreach program called God’s Appalachian Partnership is celebrating 25 years of serving their community this summer.
And the nonprofit is nearing completion of a long-awaited, massive renovation that will increase its space more than five-fold.
“What makes GAP a little different from other really good organizations is our goal is to help (residents) now but make it possible for them to help themselves in the future,” said Estill Carter, a board member of GAP. “You’ve got to educate them, and you’ve got to do it in a loving manner.”
GAP, founded in 1999, aims to meet the “spiritual and physical needs” of people in Appalachia through four main programs: distribution of resources like food and school supplies, educational ministries, home repairs and Bible studies.
The nonprofit primarily caters to Floyd County residents, but it also serves residents in Knott and Pike counties, said John Morris, GAP’s executive director.
GAP was founded by Angie and Lynn Wagoner, a couple from Orlando, Florida, who wanted to do ministry work in Eastern Kentucky. They partnered with a pastor in Floyd County who helped bring their vision to life.
“God just kind of brought down the family and this local pastor together, and the vision of GAP was just to meet people with their point of need so that they may know Jesus,” Morris said.
GAP purchased land for a new permanent space to house their office and resource building in 2011. Work is underway on the space upgrade, but the nonprofit is waiting on more funding to finish the project.
GAP is working with Constructors for Christ to help with construction over the next five weeks. For now, the nonprofit sits on 1,200 square feet. Once the renovation is complete, Morris said, it will have a little more than 7,000.
In addition to its four main priorities, GAP also offers life skills classes, including parenting, budgeting, resume building and card making.
Morris said GAP’s newest program, which opened this year is a free dental clinic. For now, GAP has a building set up with three dental chairs and equipment. GAP is waiting for local dentists, dental assistants and hygienists to donate their time to the clinic.
“The dental clinic started out just as a little picnic pavilion, and different groups of volunteers who come in each year expanded it and turned it into a dental clinic,” Carter said.
And though growth has been steady, GAP still faces some challenges. The most common one, Morris said, is the community not realizing they, too, can give back to the community.
Eric Allen, leader of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s mission mobilization team, noted that everyone, even if they are materially impoverished, can help and provide for others.
“There are people in poverty who have who have some of the greatest attitudes and encouragement they can offer others. They have life experiences that they can offer others,” Allen said. “There’s a lot of stuff that we can share and give to one another as we help to make each other’s lives better and stronger.”
