The Inspiring Impact of the Christian Appalachian Project

Previously employed as the clinical assistant professor of radiology and special fellow at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Sammie I. Long is board-certified in radiology, and has a career that has spanned over 40 years. In her leisure time, Dr. Sammie I. Long is deeply invested in charity work, supporting the Christian Appalachian Project, which helps families in need in 13 states.

The Christian Appalachian Project seeks to inspire hope and improve lives for families living in the Appalachian region, one of the poorest regions in America. Over 41 percent of households in this area live in poverty, and the rates of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease are higher in this area than anywhere else in the nation. Currently, many of the project’s main resource centers are located in Kentucky, though the organization continues to expand its reach. 

Among its programs are the Grateful Bread food pantry, which offers free, healthy food to families in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. The Operation Sharing Program provides necessities to those who may otherwise not be able to afford them by collecting donated goods from volunteers and corporate sponsors. These goods include not only food, but household supplies and furniture as well.

Each spring, many college and high school student volunteers come to Eastern Kentucky for WorkFest, which asks charitably-minded young people to repair homes and construct sustainable housing for those in need.