By Brianna Stephens
Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Operation Sharing Program is slated to receive a nearly $1.3 million donation of Acuity Brands lighting from Good360. The donation will help replace old, dim, and outdated lighting in homes, churches, and nonprofits in Appalachia, said Jeff Burchett, director of the program.

“The partnerships between Operation Sharing and organizations like Good360 continue to help people in need in Appalachia by providing a better quality of life and helping to reduce the stress of everyday life, especially with the added worries of COVID-19,” Burchett said. “Any donation, big or small, really makes a difference during this time.”

CAP has been a partner with Good360 for around 30 years. In the last six years, the two organizations have provided more than $90 million worth of highly needed goods to hardworking families in Appalachia, said Alexandra Shaw, director of nonprofit relationships at Good360.

Similar to CAP’s mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia, Good360 strives to transform lives by providing hope, dignity, and a sense of renewed possibility to communities impacted by disasters or other challenging life circumstances.

“Christian Appalachian Project is one of Good360’s longest standing and widest reaching partners,” Shaw said. “At Good360, we know that the Appalachian region is home to some of the deepest pockets of poverty in the country, and we couldn’t achieve our mission to transform lives in Appalachia without the incredible hard work of CAP."

This year CAP’s Operation Sharing Program is celebrating 35 years of service in Appalachia. Since its beginning, the program has received and redistributed gifts-in-kind at a value of nearly $2 billion to nonprofits, churches, schools, and community-based organizations across the 13 Appalachian states, Arkansas, and Missouri. The program has seen a 21.5 increase in donations it has received since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.