Creating partnerships to improve the quality of life within the Appalachian counties of Ohio

Jackson Area Ministries’ mission statement commits us to initiate/sponsor ministries that will “improve the quality of life in our region”. Hopefully all our efforts are directed towards fulfilling this goal. This mission’s entire passion/energy is focused on responding to the enumerated needs. (see Statement of Need) Jackson Area Ministries will address the needs as follows: 1) Gather regional leaders to dialogue about the chronic economic/cultural situations. 2) Provide vegetable seeds and plants to enable families to produce their own food. 3) Offer volunteers to render vital home repairs. 4) Encourage local churches to sponsor community Vacation Bible Schools. 5) Create a cadre of regional volunteers which will provide valuable service as well as generate the sense of “community”. 6) Offer the storage area of our office as a support of other public/private organizations. 7) Construct a house as replacement for substandard living environment.

Establish an “affordable” housing ministry which will include the development of a long-term cadre of volunteers who will be trained, credentialed, and equipped to respond to this and various other appropriate service projects.

Hopefully the stated goal will: 1) Create a larger number of individuals/congregations that understand the social economic environment in which they reside and the region as well. 2) Identify a number of volunteers from across the region committed to render volunteer services to persons/families within the community. 3) Organize a diverse group of United Methodists from two districts that will share in a common goal of improving the “quality of life in the region”.