Friday, September 7, 2018

Appalachia Service Project Volunteers Help to Repair Homes


A graduate of Loyola University School of Law, attorney James R. Carey serves as partner at Levin Schreder & Carey, Ltd. in Oak Park, Illinois. When away from his work as an attorney, James R. Carey has volunteered with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) for the past several years.

ASP began in 1969 when the Rev. Glenn “Tex” Evans, who was a United Methodist minister, sought a way to have the youth help the poor. While working in Kentucky, he saw a huge need for help repairing homes. He recruited 50 people to repair homes in the Barbourville area, and these volunteers worked on the properties during the day and joined together for worship in the evenings. 

Since its inception, the nonprofit organization has seen more than 390,000 volunteers help to repair almost 18,000 homes in Appalachia. It serves more than 30 communities in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. In 2017, more than 16,000 volunteers helped almost 500 families and constructed 28 replacement homes.