Christian Appalachian Project spreads truckloads of joy to eastern Kentucky children

KENTUCKY ( FOX 56 ) — Christmas came early for children in the Appalachia region, all thanks to Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). The organization just wrapped up its Operation Sharing project, helping to distribute toys and other essential items.

This summer, CAP’s operation sharing program distributed toys to 12,000 children and their families in partnership with Marine Toys for Tots and Good360. Since 2020, CAP has partnered with these two organizations to distribute toys and other essential items to Appalachian communities.

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The program drew in nearly 4,000 vehicles from all over the region. Ben Ridner, who manages Operation Sharing, said these distributions help ease some of the financial stress families are facing, and help them afford more of the essentials they need.

“When you’re able to go in and help someone, you know, most of the product that we were giving away to each family would buy you from anywhere from $300 to $600 per family. When you’re able to do that, it allows them to be able to buy gas when they want, electric bills, stuff like that. So, to me, any time that we can help them out, it’s a positive,” Ridner said.

Just this year, they’ve given away enough toys to fill three tractor-trailers, amounting to $5 million for families in need. Ridner said it takes about 100 volunteers to make a delivery and they couldn’t do it without their partners.

“If it wasn’t for the partnerships we have, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. But also, with the partnership of Toys for Tots and Good360 that we’ve been doing for the past five years, I think the more we can work with other partners, it’s just going to better help the people in need and it’s going to help, you know, further that outreach part of it,” Ridner said.

In total, five distributions were held for the program, and for the first time this summer, CAP also hosted two toy distributions out of state in Arkansas and West Virginia.

Ridner noted the work has already begun for next year’s distribution.

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