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This Upworthy Collaboration is a part of a series about poverty in the United States produced in partnership with Stand Together Foundation.
Our mission is to support a family of social enterprises that inspire the courage to grow, the creativity to transform perceived liabilities into assets, and the community needed to cultivate real opportunity in Appalachia through mentorship, education, and employment.
Our organization exists because in 2009 volunteers started to address concerns about housing in Wayne, WV. It was quickly realized that traditional charity was not nearly enough to address the deep, generational challenges we face. After intense community engagement, we pioneered a relationship-based, holistic approach to on-the-job training. Unemployed and underemployed people were hired to construct green affordable housing.
Today, crew members participate in a workforce development program according to our 33-6-3 model: 33 hours a week are spent doing on-the-job training, along with participation in workshops and trainings; 6 hours a week are devoted to community college and business classes for an Associate’s Degree in Applied Sciences; and 3 hours a week are committed to personal development coaching.
We have grown into a family of social enterprises working throughout the region as a leader in the building of a new economy during the wake of the coal industry’s rapid decline. Since our conception, we have helped 95 alumni get placed in full-time careers; attracted $16M in new investment to the region; created 190 new jobs; trained 850 people in new economic sectors; revitalized 187K SQ FT of formerly abandoned property; and supported and grown 40 new businesses, from real estate development and construction to agriculture and artisan trades – industries based on local assets and having real viability in the Appalachian region.
Our Vision:
Appalachian places and people unlocking their full potential, power, and purpose. Together, we are rebuilding the Appalachian economy from the ground up!
Our Core Values:
Social Enterprise and Economic Diversification (SEED) Partners are community-based, grassroots organizations committed to housing Coalfield Development social enterprises with work-crews enrolled in the 33-6-3 model. These local partners are independent organizations; however they closely align with Coalfield Development to achieve bigger outcomes. Coalfield Development provides in-depth technical assistance, helps jointly develop projects, and helps fundraise with these partners according to individualized MOUs. Current Coalfield Development SEED Partnerships include:
You too can become a SEED Partner. Contact us today to learn how!
This Upworthy Collaboration is a part of a series about poverty in the United States produced in partnership with Stand Together Foundation.
Appalachian places and people unlocking their full potential, power, and purpose. Together, we are rebuilding the Appalachian economy from the ground up!
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