Investments in Action

Every year, ARC investments support hundreds of economic development projects benefiting Appalachia’s 423 counties. Projects align with one of five goals outlined in our current Strategic Plan. The resulting investments ultimately help Appalachian communities address economic disparity and advance prosperity.

Explore stories from ARC projects and partners across the Appalachian Region.

West Virginia

New Vision Renewable Energy: Empowering West Virginia’s At-Risk Youth

Since 2007, the number of children placed in foster care due to parental substance use disorder (SUD) has risen by 53%, per the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. As with other SUD-related issues, this trend is disproportionately higher in Appalachian counties, such as Barbour County, West Virginia,…

Mississippi

MagCor Industries: Expanding Mississippi’s Recovery Ecosystem

In Appalachian Mississippi’s 24 counties, the manufacturing, transportation, and logistics sectors have major potential to create new workforce opportunities – especially for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). However, the region is lacking local capacity to launch a coordinated, comprehensive recovery ecosystem to help these populations successfully access…

Kentucky, Ohio

Shawnee State University: Building a Behavioral Health Workforce

With support from ARC’s INSPIRE initiative, many Appalachian communities are addressing substance use disorder (SUD) by bolstering recovery-to-work programs and related support services. Portsmouth, Ohio and the surrounding area – which includes both Southern Ohio and several counties in north central Appalachian Kentucky – is no…

South Carolina

Cherokee, Pickens, Union

South Carolina Office of Rural Health: Dreaming Up New Recovery Solutions 

Recovering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) can be a vicious cycle, especially when it comes to accessing the treatment and support services needed to successfully secure meaningful employment. Furthermore, it’s not just an individual who feels these effects, but entire communities. In upstate South Carolina, public services in Cherokee,…

Tennessee

Washington

First Tennessee Development District: Championing Caring Rural Workplaces

Johnson City, Tennessee is home to a variety of community organizations supporting workforce opportunities for individuals both in recovery and transitioning from the justice system. Local employers have also demonstrated interest in hiring those workers in recovery and transition and enhancing support services for those employees and their families. What…

Tennessee

Carter, Johnson

A.C.T.I.O.N. Coalition Inc.: Growing Achievable Pathways to Employment in Johnson County

Nestled in Northeast Tennessee, Johnson and Carter counties have strengths and challenges similar to many other Appalachian communities. Their location offers rich culture and easy access to outdoor adventures in “mountain and lake country.” However, the mountainous geography has also resulted in limited access to transportation, housing, and other critical…

Maryland

Washington

Brooke’s House: Giving New Purpose to Women in Recovery

When Kevin Simmers lost his daughter Brooke to an opioid overdose in 2015, he knew he needed to honor her legacy by carrying out her dream: opening a transitional house for women recovering from substance use disorder. He and his wife, Dana, broke ground on Brooke’s House three years…

West Virginia

Libera, Inc: Empowering Women and Teens in West Virginia

In West Virginia, Libera, Inc. is working to help women and teens embody the state’s beloved motto, “montani semper liberi,” or “mountaineers are always free.” Named for the feminine form of the word “liberi,” Libera envisions a Mountain State where every woman and teen is free…

Kentucky

Letcher, Perry

Fahe: Building a Recovery-Friendly Workforce

In 1980, Fahe was founded to provide access to workforce training and financial resources for locally-rooted nonprofit organizations. Its founding members quickly learned they could “go further together,” and has since grown into a strong network of 50+ nonprofits from six states working toward a…

Alabama

Fayette

Lisa Bright: Breaking Barriers to Recovery

When Will Bright passed away in 2014 from an overdose, his mother, Lisa Bright, knew she had to turn her pain into purpose. She and her husband, Bill, started the Will Bright Foundation to both honor their son and provide others with a safe, supportive environment for their recovery…

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery: Providing Tailored Treatment 

Addiction treats women differently, so POWER designed treatment to meet those needs.

Ohio

Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board: Creating Hope Through Careers 

Peer support and job training will help Ohioans launch new careers.

Kentucky

Pike County Health Department: Helping Workers Rebuild  

Through woodworking, men in recovery will learn skills and create for their communities.

North Carolina

Philip Cooper: Inspiring Change

For Philip Cooper, helping his community recover from substance use disorder is a personal, lifelong commitment.

West Virginia

Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Summers, Webster

West Virginia University Research Corporation: Inspiring Hope in the Mountain State

West Virginia, though improving in many measures, has the most drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people of any other state. Fortunately, the Mountain State also has an incredible host of ARC partners, local leaders, and community members committed to overcoming this challenge. This list includes West Virginia University Research Corporation and the Institute for Community and Rural Health (WVU…

Appalachian Regional Commission