Ways to Help Eastern Kentuckians Impacted by the Winter Storm

Hey y’all. This week’s winter storm certainly is pretty, but it’s hit the mountains of Eastern Kentucky so hard. So many folks back home in the hills are still without power and water in these awful temperatures. A couple of my friends / favorite Louisville-area bloggers (Danielle of LouWhatWear and Lindsay of Bourbon & Lipstick) asked about how to help the 606 on social media this morning, and I went to the source, asking my friends back home whom they’d donate to or recommend for help. Please feel free to share away and let me know if there are more donation sources to add! I’ll update as we hear of more ways to help!

If you’d like to donate:

Across EKY:
Appalachian Community Fund. Says organizer Misty Skaggs, “Anything that goes into our community fund right now is going right back out to community support.” Donate at: tinyurl.com/ekycommunityfund

Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund: Yet another reason to love Tyler Childers and Senora May. The fund was established by these amazing Appalachian musicians last year to bring financial support and awareness for the Appalachian Region. Donate here: https://www.cfmt.org/giving-and-investing/become-a-donor/give-to-a-fund/hickman-holler-appalachia-relief-fund/

Floyd County:

Heaven’s Harvest Food Pantry is a faith-led Emergency Food Pantry located in Printer, KY.. Donate at: https://heavensharvestfood.wixsite.com/website

Johnson County:

Big Sandy Area Community Action Program provides emergency food and shelter. Donate here.

Pastor Amy Chapman of the Mayo Memorial Methodist Church notes that Paintsville area churches are partnering to provide assistance to residents of the shelter at the Recreation Center. Says Pastor Chapman, “Immediate needs are drinks and some personal hygiene items and towels/shower items. I would say to pour any resources into a local church who can assist in managing those donations.” Contact the Mayo UMC on Facebook.

Pike County:

East KY Dream Center is a dining hall in Pikeville offering hot meals to those in need. Donate here.

Grace Community Kitchen is a faith-based mission that offers hot meals and haircuts to those in need. Donate here.

If you need access to Warming Centers:

Boyd County

Boyd County Convention and Arts Center 15605 KY-180 Catlettsburg

The center is open 24 hours a day. It has chairs and cots; social distancing guidelines will be enforced. National Guard Crews are on-site to assist in operations and transportation to the center. Anyone who needs assistance should call Boyd County Emergency Operations Center at 606-393-1801 or 606-393-1842.

Breathitt County

First Church of God (1772 Hwy 30 W, Jackson) is open as a warming center.  Contact Breathitt County Emergency Services for more details 606-666-3815.

Carter County

First Baptist Church of Grayson (162 North Court Street, Grayson) is open as a warming center.  The church is open 24 hours a day.

Floyd County
The Martin Community Center (7199 Ky Route 80 Langley, KY 41645) is now open as a warming center. Contact the Floyd County Judge Executive’s office for information.

Johnson County
The Warming Center has transitioned to an Emergency shelter at the Paintsville Recreation Center (232 Preston St, Paintsville, KY 41240) and is being managed by the staff at the Rec Center, area volunteers and County Employees. There are 11 persons there currently. Local churches are partnering to provide supplies and meals.

Knott County

The following location are open as warming stations: 

·       Hindman Volunteer Fire Department, 89 Cowtown Road, Hindman  

·       Human Services Center, 40 Center Street, Hindman    

·       Fisty Volunteer Fire Department, 1736 Trace Branch Road, Fisty    s

·       Kite Topmost Volunteer Fire Department, 10018 S Highway 7, Kite   

·       Lotts Creek Volunteer Fire Department, 6894 Lotts Creek Road, Lotts Creek    

·       Vicco Sassafras Volunteer Fire and Rescue, 357 Main Street, Vicco

If you need additional assistance, contact Knott County Emergency Management 606-785-9386 or 606-276-7178 or Jeff Dobson, County Judge Executive 606-785-5592.

Letcher County

Letcher Co Recreation Center (1505 Jenkins Rd, Whitesburg) is open as a warming center. Contact Letcher County Emergency Management for more information 606-633-0429.

Magoffin County

Lloyd M. Hall Community Center (88 Church House Road, Salyersville) is open as a warming center.  Contact Magoffin County Emergency Management for more details 606-349-2313.

Perry County

Perry Co Courthouse is serving as a warming center. (481 Main St, Hazard). Contact Perry County Emergency Management for more information 606-439-1816.

Lotts Creek Community School Hazard Director Alice Whitaker says  “we have a well stocked food pantry and the school building which can be a warming station in the event of power outage.”

Rowan County

A warming center at the Laughlin Building (Morehead University Campus) is open for citizens who need to stay warm during the outage. There is a lot of space at this facility, and social distancing guidelines will still be able to be enforced, and masks are available. The doors are unlocked Monday – Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Call 606-207-5028 if you require entry after these hours.