-WHAT IS CUMBERLAND MOUNTAIN OUTREACH?

CMO is a non-profit faith-based organization serving at-risk children and families in the most distressed areas of the Appalachian Mountain region.

-REBUILDING HOMES AND HOPE!
Cumberland Mountain Outreach is about rebuilding homes and hope!
As an ecumenical, faith-based organization, we serve a seven- county area of Appalachia located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, approximately two hours southeast of Lexington, Kentucky.

  Work teams come weekly during the summer to work in rural communities assisting church leaders working on locally initiated grassroots efforts. As a volunteer, you will experience life in another environment by working with local people, eating local foods, and experiencing local hardships and triumphs. Our projects include, but are not limited to, major home repair within the capabilities of your volunteer service team. Most projects do not require specific job skill but only a willingness to serve.


                                 Photo courtesy of Alexandre Eggert


WE GO TO SERVE
Cumberland Mountain Outreach chooses projects that are a high priority and will have a beneficial, long-term impact on the poor in the communities we serve. As an important team member:
- You will learn more about yourself while learning about others.
- You will learn to appreciate the gifts you have been given and how to share your gifts with others.
- You will learn about the power within you to change the world.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Your team will select from the following programs:

PROJECT SHELTER
Every child deserves a warm, secure place to call home. Project Shelter makes this dream become a reality. Skilled and non-skilled volunteers work with community partners to build simple, decent housing for families of greatest need. Materials are acquired through tax-deductible donations.

PROJECT RENEWAL
It's difficult for a child to imagine life's possibilities when they live in a house without heat, electricity or running water. With this important program, skilled and non-skilled volunteers work with selected families to affect basic home improvements and repairs.

ADVENTURE CLUB

Adventure Club youth outreach programs include day camp activities (summer weekday).


                                                                      Photo courtesy of L. E. MacDonald

ADVENTURE TEEN CLUB
Adventure Teen Club provides area youth with the opportunity to explore life's possibilities while putting their talents and skills to work helping others in their community for five weeks in the summer.

HARVEST CENTER
Harvest Center is a year-round distribution network. Your donation of appliances, furniture, food, clothing, household items, bedding, and medicines leave the building through twenty-three churches that help meet the needs in the mountains where we cannot reach. Food boxes and/or clothing go out with the help of local volunteers.

YOUTH GROUP LEADERSHIP
Adults accompanying any youth group must be 21 years of age or older and have a valid driver's license. It is our recommendation that there be one adult for every five youth.

HEALTH AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE
We require that all participants be covered under a group or individual health/accidental insurance policy. No one can be registered at camp without a copy of insurance and completed waiver forms.

LODGING ASSIGNMENTS
All efforts are made to accommodate your group's special requests. Final lodging assignments are the responsibility of the group leader. We recommend one adult per cabin.

ATTENDANCE
To ensure a positive outreach experience for everyone, all participants make a commitment to be an active part of the entire week's activities. Please plan to arrive early for your week or weekend outreach program and remain through closing ceremonies.

APPROPRIATE DRESS
In keeping with the mission of our outreach, appropriate attire is required. Our clothing guidelines are: no short shorts, no halter or bathing suit-type tops, and no shirts with inappropriate printed material. We highly recommend that all participants wear steel-toed boots and long jeans when working on construction projects.

VISITORS
To ensure a secure and safe experience for everyone, no visitors are permitted at Cumberland Mountain Outreach facilities or at our work sites without prior permission of the site leader.