Based in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky, Appalachia – Science in the Public Interest (ASPI), is a non-profit resource center advocating for sustainable development, responsible resource management, and informed personal choices. Students working with ASPI will engage the local community through environmentally based service and learning. Recent examples of student work have included flood damage restoration, painting, litter cleanup, gardening, and working at the town’s donation center. Other community-engagement opportunities include hiking, bonfires, and working with and getting to know local community members and ASPI staff.

Located in Summers County, West Virginia, Bethlehem Farm is a Catholic community that transforms lives through service with the local community. With an emphasis on living out sustainability through daily practices, Bethlehem Farm asks students to consider how our habits create environmental impact. Students will join the community in living the gospel cornerstones of service, prayer, simplicity, and community. Service primarily takes the form of home repair and farm labor. Recent specific projects have included installing drywall and siding as well as various tasks related to gardening and farm chores. The Bethlehem Farm staff intentionally builds in opportunities for genuine and rich engagement with the local community.

Based in McDowell County, West Virginia, Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA) is a nonprofit organization serving the community in the realms of education and literacy, leadership development, volunteer service, service learning, arts and culture, housing, and recreation. Students working with BCPIA will engage with the community through a wide variety of service action and relationship development, including the possibility of working with children and youth. Recent work has also included cleanup from flood damage in the community.

Located in Grainger County, Tennessee, the Glenmary Farm on Joppa Mountain strives to develop community and deepen faith through a context of shared experiences, especially through service. Students spend the week blending the values of service, culture, prayer, reflection, and sharing in an environment of simple living. Recent work has included repairing a staircase, rebuilding a wheelchair ramp, and chopping wood. Students will also have many opportunities to engage with the community, which may include attending a Baptist service, a bilingual Mass (Spanish/English), or visiting a local children’s shelter or retirement home.

Based in Buchanan County, Virginia, Hurley Community Development has a mission to improve the quality of life of the community—socially, economically, and culturally. Students will work alongside community members on projects related to home repair and food security, while simultaneously enjoying the beautiful landscape of western Virginia. Recent work has included flood cleanup and wheelchair ramp construction.

Located in Doddridge County, West Virginia, Nazareth Farm is a Catholic community devoted to living out the Gospel message through the cornerstones of community, simplicity, prayer, and service. With an emphasis on living out sustainability through daily practices Nazareth Farm asks students to consider how our habits create environmental impact. Students serve alongside Nazareth Farm staff and their neighbors to address substandard housing by providing home repair. Additional time is spent building community through work on the farm. The highlight of the week each year is community night when neighbors are invited to join students and farm staff in an evening of shared meals and fun.

Serving several communities in southern West Virginia, West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps (WWMAW) organizes an immersion week in a single community where students will primarily engage in home repair work. Recent semesters have included projects such as building a wheelchair ramp, installing drywall, and constructing a porch. Community engagement has included attending a high school play, joining a local church Bible study, and hiking at a nearby beautiful state park.

Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, the Wheeling University Appalachian Institute promotes research, service, and advocacy for and with the people of Appalachia to build healthier, stronger, and more sustainable communities. Students will engage with a community that is significantly shaped by the economic and environmental impacts of coal mining and fracking. In addition to meeting with local activists and experts, recent hands-on work has included community gardening and other direct service. In short, students will be immersed among people deeply committed to the health of this community in the heart of the Appalachian energy industry.