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Mountain Association

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    Building a new economy, together.

Stories of Appalachia

Together, we can change the narrative.

The images of Appalachia most often seen by national audiences are rooted in well-established stereotypes.

The Mountain Association and many of our partners have worked for decades to amplify and tell more truthful and more positive stories about Appalachia that are layered and complex. We work with local and national media to tell these stories, and regularly share pieces through our newsletter, social media outlets and community networks. We also engage in research and advocacy for policy change, pulling together and distilling information to help Eastern Kentuckians better understand how their everyday lives could be impacted by decisions at the state and federal level.

On this page, you will find stories about the Mountain Association’s clients and about ordinary Eastern Kentuckians doing extraordinary things to transform their communities with Appalachian youth and business owners leading the way. These pieces serve as a window into a more complex, and therefore more accurate, picture of Eastern Kentucky.

To learn more about this work, please contact Ariel Fugate, Communications Manager, at ariel@mtassociation.org.

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Business Support

How a Mother‑Daughter Team Reinvented their Kentucky Farm with Lavender 

In a time when everything feels heavy — from current events to stretched budgets — one Somerset farm ... Read This Post

Communities Energy

Protect REAP, a federal program rural Kentucky can’t afford to lose

This op-ed ran in several Kentucky papers in May 2026. Over the past several decades, rural ... Read This Post

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Energy

Pizza Rolls & Public Health: How Double Kwik Created a Solar-Powered Hub for Community Care

For 60 years, Double Kwik has provided Eastern Kentucky with gas, essentials, and homecooking, like ... Read This Post

wildfire designs Storefront prestonsburg

Lending

More Than a Boutique: Wildfire Designs’ Mission to Lift Up Prestonsburg 

What started as a way for a stay‑at‑home mom in Prestonsburg to keep her hands busy has evolved into ... Read This Post

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Stories

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Energy

Pizza Rolls & Public Health: How Double Kwik Created a Solar-Powered Hub for Community Care

For 60 years, Double Kwik has provided Eastern Kentucky with gas, essentials, and homecooking, like their infamous pizza rolls. As a convenience store ... Read This Post

CommunitiesEnergy

Protect REAP, a federal program rural Kentucky can’t afford to lose

This op-ed ran in several Kentucky papers in May 2026. Over the past several decades, rural Kentucky has faced significant changes. In Eastern ... Read This Post

salyersville IGA solar

Energy

Solar Scams Back on the Rise

Thousands of Kentuckians across the state are saving money on their electric bills through rooftop solar installed by reputable local companies. But ... Read This Post


childcare providers eastern kentucky appalachia

Communities

Childcare Solutions Marked into Kentucky Law

As the Kentucky General Assembly winds down for the year, new legislation could reshape childcare access across Eastern Kentucky. What began in ... Read This Post

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Business Support

How a Mother‑Daughter Team Reinvented their Kentucky Farm with Lavender 

In a time when everything feels heavy — from current events to stretched budgets — one Somerset farm invites visitors to slow down this summer. As ... Read This Post

original riverside christian flooded eastern kentucky

Energy

Riverside Christian School Standing Through the Storms

Lost Creek, Kentucky, sits deep in the hills of Breathitt County, and Troublesome Creek runs through the heart of the area. Along its ... Read This Post


KFTC Ev charger london kentucky

Energy

Sharing Power, Strengthening Community: EV Charging at Kentuckians for the Commonwealth 

The Mountain Association's Energy Team has been working closely with businesses, nonprofits and local governments on Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ... Read This Post

Isom IGA LED lighting eastern Kentucky

Energy

Finding a Good Contractor for Your Home or Business

Our Energy Team frequently gets questions about how to find reliable contractors. They created this resource to help guide you. They also created a ... Read This Post

new hvac at letcher county library energy savings kentucky

Energy

HVAC: Planning Ahead for Replacement

Our Energy Team frequently gets questions about HVAC replacement. There's a lot to know about this topic so they have created this resource, along ... Read This Post


kentucky power eastern kentucky high rates

Energy

What the Kentucky Power Ruling Means for Residents & Commercial Customers 

The Kentucky Public Service Commission’s recent ruling on Kentucky Power’s rate case is a mixed bag in terms of wins and losses for 165,000 customers ... Read This Post

Rural electric coop kentucky

CommunitiesEnergy

New Data Center Protections & New Issues in Kentucky

Last November, we wrote about the possibility of large data centers coming to Kentucky. Utilities like LG&E and KU had projected a major increase ... Read This Post

Wildchild 043

Business Support

Growing Up Wild: How Red Oaks Forest School Connects Children to Nature

Imagine a school set in the forest, where children can learn by following animal tracks, looking under logs and ... Read This Post


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Established in 1976. Prior to 2020, we were known as the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED).

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BEREA
(859) 986-2373
433 Chestnut Street
Berea, KY 40403

Meetings by appointment only

info@mtassociation.org

We are happy to make any accommodation
to better serve you. We have an on-staff
Spanish interpreter, and provide
additional free language/
interpretation services as needed.

If hearing or speech impaired,
please dial 7-1-1 for relay
services prior to calling.

HAZARD
(606) 439-0170
420 Main St
Hazard, KY 41701

PRESTONSBURG
(606) 264-5910
268 E Friend St, Ste 101
Prestonsburg, KY 41653

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