Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development

On a quiet stretch of land along Stinking Creek, deep in Knox County, Kentucky, the Lend‑A‑Hand Center began with two women who devoted their lives to serving community members in need. Irma Gall, a teacher and farmer, and Peggy Kemner, a nurse‑midwife, came to Knox County in 1958 to serve the community. 

In those early days, Peggy would walk or ride miles to care for a mother in labor, and Irma would build roads, bridges and tend to the farm’s livestock and produce. They would share food at their house and provide Sunday school, 4H, and Day Camp programs for children in the area. Any need someone had, from home repair to help getting back on their feet after a hardship, they would lend a hand. 

Over time, the Lend‑A‑Hand Center grew into a place the community could depend on in times of need for healthcare, food or simply connection. Today, the clinic and the food pantry continue to be critical lifelines on Stinking Creek.  

Now co-directed by Charles and Diann Carnes, the organization primarily relies on volunteers to maintain the center and its services. Volunteers sort donations and operate a twice a month pantry that serves 300 people. 

Like many small nonprofits, it has had to learn how to stretch every dollar. Keeping the lights on, the refrigerators running, and the pantry stocked takes resources. Their utility bill is their biggest overhead, costing them around $500 per month. At the same time, they desperately needed storage. 

“We were having to turn away donations – things that people around here can really use, like new doors and windows, you name it,” said Charles. 

With support from the Mountain Association, KY Office of Energy Policy, The Nature Conservancy, the Solar Finance Fund and Invest Appalachia, the Center is taking steps to reduce its energy costs by installing solar panels and batteries on a newly constructed building. Volunteers broke ground on the building in April 2026 and are continuing to work through the summer. The wood comes from the 500 acres the center owns with Charles processing each board at their on-site sawmill. 

“This is a generational investment,” said Kathryn Engle, Lend-A-Hand board member. “With this, our overhead will greatly decrease and we’ll be able to invest even more into the community and into our programs.” 

The batteries will serve as a backup source of power for the food pantry during outages, helping ensure refrigerated food stays safe and services can continue when the community needs them most. 

The Mountain Association’s Energy Team has assisted in system design, siting and connections to partner resources like funding from the Nature Conservancy and the KY Office of Energy Policy.

“This project shows how energy savings can be a powerful tool for strengthening communities,” said Josh Bills, Senior Energy Analyst at the Mountain Association. “The solar and battery system will provide reliable power, greater energy security and lower operating costs, allowing them to focus on serving families through whatever challenges they are facing.” 

As volunteers work through the summer to complete the new building, the investment represents another chapter in a story that began 68 years ago, ensuring that the work of lending a hand continues, one meal, one family and one act of care at a time.

The post Lend-A-Hand Grows Knox County Food Pantry with Solar Savings  appeared first on Mountain Association.

In Old Town Berea, one of the town’s oldest structures has been home to just about everything. Built in 1912 as a jail, it later became the city hall, then a church, a wood shop, a jewelry store, and a candle shop.

Shuttered after that for 5-6 years, following months of renovation, the doors are now open again. This time as Golden Hour Salon.

“This building has been part of so many people’s journeys in life,” owner Amber Spurlock said. “I’m really glad she’s part of mine too.”

A stylist of 20 years, Amber took a leap to purchase the building in 2025. Most of her time as a hairdresser was spent at a salon owned by Nancy Coffey, a longtime family friend and mentor.

“I always thought about what it might look like to have something of my own,” she said.

As Nancy looked to retire from owning a shop, the timing felt right. After connecting with Mountain Association for financing to purchase and overhaul the building, it began to fall into place.

Turning the old building into the salon of her dreams wasn’t simple. Because it’s on the Historic Registry, everything had to be done carefully. That meant reworking plumbing, updating electrical systems, and installing proper ventilation, all without losing the building’s character.

“Everything right down to the screws and the toilet handle is period accurate, thanks to Matt.”

Matt Cox, Amber’s boyfriend, spent months helping bring the space back to life. He said it took a lot of late nights and essential support from their friends and family to help hand paint signs and other tasks. All the small details like an old wooden phone, custom-made brass door plates and vintage porcelain lights from a Knoxville warehouse make the space what it is now.

“We wanted the building to honor its history and the history of the community,” Amber said. “Because so much of what I do is about community, meeting people and building relationships.”

Being in the heart of Old Town Berea also means being part of the town’s tourism efforts. Outside the salon, Amber does a themed bench to give visitors a photo opportunity. This spring, they hosted a car show featuring Matt’s Mayberry Sheriff vehicle. People often poke their heads in to see the space and talk with the stylists. Four stylists work in the building, including Nancy who now is able to work under Amber’s business, a “full-circle” moment for both.

When asked her advice for fellow entrepreneurs on a recent podcast, after laughing and saying, “get you a praying friend,” Amber said, “Find someone who supports you. If it wasn’t for Mountain Association, I couldn’t have done any of this. They 100% gave me my journey.”

Regina Becknell, Senior Lender, said, “Bringing new life to these historic buildings is vital to a small town like Berea. Entrepreneurs like Amber, with a vision and a solid plan, make this kind of meaningful investment in the community possible. We’re honored to have supported her with Golden Hour.”

The post Berea’s Old Jail Transforms into Golden Hour Salon appeared first on Mountain Association.

A few weeks ago, I found myself driving through Grayson, Kentucky, the kind of small-town stop you don’t always plan but often ends up staying with you. After a few hours on the road, I pulled over for what I thought would be just a cup of coffee and some rest. Instead, it turned into something much more.

I stepped into the Nook & Cranny Coffeehouse, and almost immediately, it felt like I had walked into a story already in motion. There was, of course, the warm atmosphere and the smell of fresh coffee—this always bring me home (there is nothing like the smell of fresh coffee!). But I ended up talking with one of the owners, Jeremy Wells, who shared how he and his wife Nicole built this place together. Their vision was to create something rooted in the community with locally sourced coffee, pastries and paninis, and a place for meaningful connection.

Because that’s the thing about a local coffee shop—it’s never just about the coffee.

Still, let me say this: the coffee is amazing. It’s roasted just a couple of blocks away at Goose Bridle Coffee, a family-run roastery led by Will Stevens. And in that moment, sitting there with my cup, I couldn’t help but think of how special it felt to be in a place like this, where everything connects—the people, the businesses, the community.

Nook & Cranny is also part of the Kentucky Coffee Trail, something I’ve now added to my list to explore this year. But honestly, even before I knew about the trail, I already understood what it stood for.

An independent coffee shop in a small town can tell you everything about a place—if you pay attention. The decorations, the announcements on the walls, the menu, the rhythm of people coming and going throughout the day—it’s all a reflection of the community.

I learned that when I first moved to Kentucky in 2012.

Coming from Brooklyn, New York, everything felt different. It was a new world for me and my family, and like many people starting over, I was searching for something familiar and somewhere I could feel grounded. I found that place in a local coffee shop in Corbin.

That shop became my refuge.

It’s where I made friends, where I filled out job applications, where I sat quietly when I needed a moment to breathe. But it was also where I began to understand the community around me. In the mornings, there were Bible study groups gathered around tables. Later, you might find a knitting circle. In the afternoons, high school students would come in to work on homework. And at different hours, friends would meet before heading out to the back roads, coffee in hand.

Over time, I realized this was a rhythm you can find in so many small towns across Eastern Kentucky. And after visiting many places over the years, I’ve seen it again and again.

That’s why, this spring, when I attended a showcase for new businesses and came across the team behind the Kentucky Coffee Trail, something immediately clicked.

They described their idea like this: a great cup of coffee can bring people together, strengthen communities, and spark pride in the places we call home.

I didn’t just understand that—I had lived it.

What better way to explore communities than by visiting their local coffee shops? These spaces are more than businesses—they’re part of the local economy, a hub for connection, and a place where other small businesses show up too, whether through products on the shelves or flyers on the bulletin board.

Since launching their app in April 2026, the Kentucky Coffee Trail has already grown—bringing together around 50 local shops across 9 regions, with over 100,000 posts shared by visitors exploring these spaces. The app itself offers travel plans, games, and even a store, creating different ways for people to engage. It invites you to become part of something, to support and help build a new kind of economy rooted in small towns.

And maybe that’s what stayed with me the most.

This isn’t just about coffee. It’s about connections. It’s about community. It’s about belonging.

So, here’s my invitation: get your passport, start the journey, and be part of this movement—one sip at a time:

Explore the Kentucky Coffee Trail website

Listen to the Kentucky Coffee Trail podcast

The post Exploring Kentucky One Cup at a Time appeared first on Mountain Association.