BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – As communities work to rebuild from last month’s flooding, they’re facing many obstacles. Right now, getting building supplies is proving to be challenging, and one non-profit has been trying to help families, but they’re not able to keep up.
Homes that can be salvaged obviously need new drywall and insulation. But supply chain issues, and just the overwhelming demand in Breathitt County is putting a strain on Aspire Appalachia as they work to help their communities rebuild.
“It is beyond heart wrenching to see this in our community,” said Wallace Caleb Bates with Aspire Appalachia.
All across Breathitt County, the scars from the floods are still very visible, and the recovery is nowhere near finished.
“We are most certainly working with dozens, if not hundreds,” Bates said.
In the aftermath, non-profit group Aspire Appalachia has been working with families on immediate needs like clothing and food, but also long-term, such as building materials. It’s become a regular routine for them.
“Since our organization’s founding in 2020, we have worked in some capacity to help during five natural disasters,” Bates said.
Right now, countless homes in Breathitt County are damaged– floors ripped up, walls removed. Families are waiting to rebuild, but are running low on the materials to do so.
Aspire Appalachia has been helping families, but they’re having to scale back because the supplies are not enough for the demands.
“It absolutely is a difficult decision to make, and it was one that our board grappled with for quite some time. There is such a great supply that here in eastern Kentucky, here in Breathitt County, our infrastructure does not provide for dealing with those needs, speaking of supply chain and stock at stores,” Bates said.
This doesn’t mean Aspire Appalachia is giving up, just changing course. So that these houses that have been stripped to their bare bones, can become homes again.
Right now Aspire Appalachia is accepting monetary donations so they can buy these supplies as they are able to. They’re also turning to people who live outside of the immediate area.
As of Friday, Aspire Appalachia had helped 72 families with building supplies. If you’d like to donate drywall, insulation or any other building supplies, you can click here to go to their Facebook page.
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