Appalachia Poverty Relief: The Jubilee Project in Sneedville, TN

Sneedville, Tennessee is one of those places where you almost have to know where it is to get there. To say that it is off the beaten track is kind. Don't bother looking it up on a road map. I cringe every time I have to drive there.

It's beautiful. There is no doubt about it. Sneedville, TN is in Hancock County. The area is tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee. Everywhere you look you see the beauty of the mountains. A small river runs through the county. Birds, deer and other animals are common sightings.

One thing sets the town aside from everywhere else in Tennessee. It's the only thing here that stands as tall as the mountaintops. It's poverty.

Families face extreme challenges in the areas of employment and meeting basic needs. Getting a job means traveling over the mountains in all kinds of weather. Your car must consistently be in good working order. To get a car you must have a job. To feed your families it helps to have both.

We're not talking about people who are poor. We are talking about people who live in poverty. Sneedville is rural and remote. It's a place where hot showers are luxurious and your trailer is likely to be heated by a wood stove.

The people here don't live from paycheck to paycheck because there isn't one. In 2008, before the manufacturing plant eliminated jobs in Hancock County, it was the 7th poorest in the nation.

Per capita income is $14,000 in Sneedville, TN and the median household income is just under $25,000. Of the 36% who live below the poverty line 50% are households with children.

In the heart of Sneedville is the Jubilee Project. It is here that a dedicated group of staff and volunteers specialize in alleviating the suffering. Their many programs make a positive impact on the people of the county.

This author caught up with Jubilee Project staff at the Jubilee Center in the heart of downtown Sneedville. Several years ago I held membership on the board of directors. Visiting today only made me more impressed than I was before.

The Christmas bazaar is an annual event. The Jubilee Project is pleading for help in providing basics. They ask for help in the form of blankets, nonperishable food and money. When it comes to children, people may be surprised to find toys at the bottom of the request list.

"Jubilee Project asks for help with a shirt and pants, warm socks and blankets. Anything else is gravy." said community worker, Randy Hildebrandt. As he talked, we walked throughout the Jubilee Center before heading to the extension at the former Flat Gap School.

The Jubilee Project doesn't just give a hand out. It offers a hand up. The center houses an artisan coop where artists can sell their wares. All items represent Appalachian culture and are made by residents.

Cooking classes teach youth basic skills. These are taught by an energetic woman named Doris. "We show them how to use what they've got so they can make the most nutritious meal they can." When asked how well the classes are attended she simply smiled and said "Well."

Jubilee Project helps with other things too. Doris related how they've helped kids and teens receive the first bed they've ever head. She told of youth who arrive early for youth group meetings so they can shower and of families who sometimes come to wash clothes when they have no water.

Perhaps the most shocking was a story she told of some teen girls. They each came from different families. Yet, each of the girls school one week out of every month for the same reason. Families who cannot purchase food, gasoline or heating have no money for other necessary supplies. The Jubilee Project helps girls with those too, when they can.

After touring the Jubilee Center Randy and I headed over to the former Flat Gap School. This is now known as the Clinch-Powell Community Kitchen.

In this USDA approved kitchen farmers can bring their produce and create products that can be sold anywhere. Salsa, pickles, chili and potatoes are some of the items that are packaged or processed in the kitchen. Before being allowed to use the kitchen each person must receive training.

Whether being taught how to sell artisan crafts or to use a commercial or residential kitchen, the life of each person who is touched by the program is made better. Jubilee Project is a vital part of the fabric of life in the rural poverty area of Sneedville, TN. Without them, the suffering would continue. With them, there is home for a better tomorrow.

For information about how to help the Jubilee Project click through this link.

Sources:
Personal Experience
Jubilee Project Staff of Randy Hildebrandt and Doris
Holston.Org
Moving.Com
Wikipedia