Christian Appalachian Project, Inc.
Invite reviews
Invite friends and colleagues to share their experiences with this nonprofit
April 6, 2013
Great organization that helps an area of Kentucky in great need!
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
April 6, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
I have been a board member since 2005 and have seen first hand what a wonderful program the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) has developed. They are a service based organization that tries to strengthen the people of Appalachia and help them find a way out of poverty. I have served on the Development Committee as well as currently serving as the chairperson of the Program Committee and have seen the kindness of our employees and their willingness to help those in need. One of my favorite programs is our alternative spring break Work Fest , which benefits people whose homes have fallen into disrepair. How wonderful to teach college students to help those less fortunate. It has been a privilege to be associated with this organization.
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
April 6, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
I have been a Board Member for 8 years, have chaired the Personnel Committee, been Board chair for 3 years. I also assisted with upgrading the camp facilities and volunteer housing. CAP has continuously reviewd its mission, and strives to provide the maximum impact on people in need for the funds they receive. They look at the whole of hte person and their situation including the family. If the child has needs, they also look at the housing as this child cannot do good work in a poor environment. CAP continuously evaluates the needs of the area and adopts to those needs.
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
April 5, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
I have been a board member for over ten years. I have served on the finance and audit committees during that time. I have also participated in Workfest, and I have visited other operations. I can say the people of CAP are honest, hard-working, and devoted to serving the people of Appalachia. The legacy of Fr. Beiting is strong in that CAP works to serve the needs of of the poor many ways. We recently decided to focus on development of Appalachian children through their families, while maintainingg service to the elderly.
I have seen CAP lead college students to change houses that were virtually unlivable into decent homes. I can also tell you that the board is conscientious about ensuring donor money is well spent in accordance with our mission. CAP does invest in fund-raising because the environment for charitable giving is very competitive, but the money that is raised is well-spent.
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
March 19, 2013
4 people found this review helpful
In May of 2010 my Father In Law passed away and my wife and I moved back in with his widow, my wife's Mother, to care for her since she's in her late eighties and has senile dementia and severe hearing loss. We inherited a mess. My mother in law was donating money to multiple charities and was a member of thirty plus book clubs. Most, if not all, of those book clubs continued delivering books to the address and a mountain of debt was incurred. My Mother In Law didn't remember ordering them, and thought they were gifts.
In the category of charities, Christian Appalachian Project was one of many, and it was sending multiple requests for money in two different names at the same address. Both addressed to the Mother In Law. Since May of 2010, both my wife and I have called the Lexington Office to remove the address from the mailing list, Mom obsesses that she should do the Christian thing and donate money to the charity. And it goes on for days. Early on we learned to hide the contacts from CAP. We can do that since we're her guardians in the home. We've also e-mailed CAP, and made numerous contacts on Facebook. Still, the contacts come.
Recently I gave up. I got tired of hearing the same excuse repeatedly from the people at CAP, especially Phyllis Caudill. So, I submitted our evidence and filed a complaint with the Indiana Attorney General's Office, and after a short period, CAP through Phyllis Caudill responded to the mediation with the IAG. Glaring omissions notwithstanding, we were assured we wouldn't receive anymore contacts. Since that letter from the IAG, CAP has contacted us through the mail twice in two consecutive months.
I have serious doubts about the legitimacy of this group. I get angry when I think of anyone trying to ask for money from an 89 year old woman who can't hear well even with hearing aides, and has senile dementia.
It's been twenty months. Enough is enough already. If it goes a full two calendar years, I'm seeing a lawyer about harassment.
Luke 20:47
English Standard Version (ESV)
47 "who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
None
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
March 7, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
I have volunteered and continue to do so on a short term basis, in Housing, typically spending 5 months a year with them since 2009. CAP is an excellent organization to volunteer with, and has a direct and effective impact on the lives of those in Appalachia it serves. It also has a life changing impact on the college students who sign up to volunteer each spring on alternative spring breaks, known as Workfest (similar program for high school students, Youthfest).
Like so many charities, it has been severely stressed by the reduction of donations in 2012. It is not alone in this situation, and must try to maintain or solicit new donors to overcome this 25% or so decline.
I cannot say enough about this organization and the opportunity it presents for volunteers to truly engage and impact the needs of the poor in Kentucky.
More feedback...
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Quite well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
2 people found this review helpful
February 21, 2013
2 people found this review helpful
In the interest of full disclosure, I am the president/CEO of Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) and a Board member. My purpose in posting a review is to address both reviews posted on 1-9-13.
First, in the review written by gfawkes1151916, it states that our website is misleading because we list a respite care program, when we no longer have one. This is false. We no longer have a residential respite program, however, CAP continues to provide respite care through an in-home respite program with three full-time employees who travel extensively to help meet the needs of families and individuals providing care to disabled loved ones. We provide up to 5 hours of relief at a time to allow individuals the opportunity to take a break and to do what they need to do.
Second, LaPointe implied that our founder, Reverend Beiting, would not be pleased with CAP in recent years. To my knowledge, until his death on August 9, 2012, he was very proud that CAP's mission continued to make a difference for people in need in Appalachia. It was a blessing to me to have served CAP with him for 3 1/2 years from 1982 - 1985. When I was asked to return to CAP in February 2010, I did so with a strong sense of keeping Reverend Beiting's legacy strong because the challenges of people in need in Appalachia continue to be great.
CAP is a transparent organization. Our IRS Form 990 is accessible on our website. Anyone with questions can visit us any time, scheduled or unscheduled, to see firsthand how we operate. We have nothing to hide. Should anyone want to call us to have questions answered, please call (859) 269-0635. May God bless you, Guy
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?
Definitely
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Life-changing
Will you tell others about this organization?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
January 9, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
This organization is awful and does not have the view that Cap orginially had. Father Biden would turn over in his grave to see this place that has become more money hungry than client concious.
More feedback...
How does this organization compare with others in the same sector?
Badly
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A lot
Will you recommend this organization to others?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
1 person found this review helpful
January 9, 2013
1 person found this review helpful
Mr. Patton states CAP scores highly on transparency, and I'm sure he is referring to finances; however transparency indicates honesty and truthfulness. As of today, CAP's website- under the heading "Who We Serve" and "Disabled" they list Respite services. They closed this program and terminated the employees quite some time ago. This type of misrepresentation happened when CAP closed down their Adult Education programs. Years after the programs had been closed, they were still being advertised on their website as services CAP was offering the area.
And, I am not surprised Mr. Patton promotes himself as a businessman. "More bang for your buck" is a very businesslike attitude - but not one that should necessarily be associated with a "Christian Nonprofit." I'm sure to a businessperson, outsourcing American jobs to China, India, and Pakistan gives you more bang for your buck. I would think a Christian nonprofit should be more concerned with their mission statement of assisting those who are needy in Appalachia. CAP employees that have lost their jobs, I'm sure, do not see it as more bang for the buck.
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A little
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
January 1, 2013
2 people found this review helpful
I don't know if I would qualify under emerson1966's criteria as an expert, but I have been a consistent donor since 1985 and serve on the Board of Trustees for a regional non-fo-profit dedicated to welfare of senior citizens, am Secretary and member of the Executive, Finance and Co-Chair of the Employee/Volunteer Complaints Committee. I also own two private businesses.
If you dig into the data Charity Navigator, Christian Appalachian Project scores very well for a small to medium sized charity. Their percentages of revenues spent on administration and promotions (for donations) are relatively low - a very good sign. They also score highly on transparency, another key variable prospective donors should review. They should be commended, not criticized for substituting volunteers for paid employees - it gives you a much larger "bang for the buck."
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Likely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Definitely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
Filter by reviewer role:
Support This Nonprofit
Help this nonprofit get more reviews
5 tips for getting reviews