The Kentucky Kause

If you have regularly followed my blog, you know I have typically encouraged us to become involved in our individual spheres of influence. We have discussed common reasons many of us haven't gotten involved and steps we can take to overcome these. We have talked about feeding the poor, visiting the lonely and others ways we can all reach out to make a difference. In this post, I want to share about a friend of mine who is reaching out and helping to meet needs in one of the poorest parts of the world.

We have all seen images of poor little children living in slums with little or no food or clothing. We have seen the effects of malnutrition and dehydration, and we have seen the faces that show no signs of hope that things will ever improve. We know these needs exist in far away places, like Ethiopia, Somalia and The Sudan, but many of us might not have been aware that poverty that is just as severe exists right here in the United States. One of the areas where this is the worst is in parts of Kentucky nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. 

Kentucky is a beautiful state with a rich heritage, but there are pockets of poverty so extreme that people actually freeze to death in the harsh winters because they don't even have a sweatshirt. Little children often don't eat regularly because of a lack of food, and families resort to living in tents, roughly constructed shacks or even old school buses because they cannot afford to live in a house. For some, this may come as no surprise, as there are many places that are dealing with this level of poverty. For others, however, it may be totally shocking to know that such conditions exist so close to home. 

I really believe that most people would gladly help the people living in these desperate situations, but many just don't know how or where to start. A friend of mine, Kevin Lepp, and his wife, Ashleigh, have taken this great need seriously, and they have set out to make a difference. They have determined to raise $50,000 to send to a reputable, established organization that is bringing true relief to many of the citizens of Kentucky who are enduring this terrible poverty. I could tell you more about it, but how about hear from Kevin himself. This video is less than 90 seconds long, and it gives a quick overview of his and Ashley's work, and tells us how we can get involved. Check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3huffd5W7I

If you missed the website address that Kevin shared at the end of his video, here it is:

www.thekentuckykause.com

I think what Kevin and Ashleigh are doing is so awesome, and they have made it so easy to join with them. If what you have read in this post or seen in Kevin's video has prompted you to help with this urgent need, I encourage you to take the next step. We can all make a difference, and this is a chance to partner with hundreds, or even thousands of others in making a lasting impact on some of our neighbors who need it the most. Let's get involved!