Our Purpose

As an organization, we are trying to play our part by giving young minds in Appalachia the resources to enact the change that they are capable of making.

On top of that, we are sharing the message that Appalachia is not the economic wasteland it is stereotyped to be, and in fact, the region possesses the ideas, workforce, and supplies to become economically sufficient. We hope that by providing young Appalachian entrepreneurs with the support and encouragement required to create strong businesses, they will be empowered to create great things. We believe that the ideas that are fostered and materialized today will eventually result in the industry and employment opportunities in Appalachia that break the cycle of hopelessness to departure or despair.

The struggles that stem from the lack of opportunities in Appalachia run far deeper than surface socioeconomic distress. Those who feel they lack purpose or the power to create better circumstances for themselves and their loved ones often fall victim to “diseases of despair.”

A common disease of despair is substance use disorder (SUD). SUD is a psychological illness that results in the formation of drug-usage patterns, as well as a decreased aptitude to cope with withdrawal symptoms. Drug misuse that can result in death is often the grim outcome of undiagnosed and untreated substance abuse disorder. This has become a more common occurrence with the increasing popularity of opioids, which are both highly addictive and potentially lethal when abused.

The opioid epidemic affects people worldwide and increases in severity annually. However, regions with economic and opportunistic disparities are affected disproportionately. There are two main causes to attribute this to.  It’s not uncommon for individuals in rural, less opportunistic areas such as Appalachia to turn to opioids or other recreational substances to cope with feelings of wasted potential and entrapment. Recreational drug and alcohol use can quickly become SUD without proper attention or rehabilitation facilities. Unfortunately, it is more difficult for lower-income regions to gain access to treatment to try to defend against these problems. Maps of the area of Appalachia as well as states with the highest drug overdose rate are shown below: