ARH Foundation Awards $5,000 Grant to ABLE Families to Provide Nutritious Meals for Children

NEWS RELEASE - July 30, 2026

ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities Awards $5,000 Grant to ABLE Families to Provide Nutritious Meals for Children

KERMIT, W.Va. - The ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities has awarded a $5,000 Community Grant to ABLE Families that will help provide nutritious meals during their summer program for children in Mingo County.

The grant will support a summer camp program serving 120 children and providing them with healthy meals, physical activities, educational opportunities, and social enrichment. The funding from the ARH Foundation helped address food insecurity during the summer months, when many children lose access to the reliable meals they receive at school.

"We're incredibly grateful to the ARH Foundation for believing in our mission and investing in the children and families we serve," said Marlene Spaulding, Executive Director of Able Families. "For many of our campers, these meals are more than lunch. They provide consistency, nourishment, and peace of mind for families during the summer months. This support allows us to continue creating a safe, welcoming environment where children can learn, grow, and simply enjoy being kids."

In addition to ensuring children have access to nutritious, balanced meals, the camps promote healthy eating habits while giving participants opportunities to build friendships, develop leadership skills, and engage in activities that encourage teamwork and communication.

"Children deserve the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive year-round," said Leslie Hammer, Executive Director of the ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities. "Summer should be a time of discovery and fun, not uncertainty about where the next meal will come from. We're proud to partner with ABLE Families to help ensure children in our communities have access to healthy meals and experiences that support their well-being."

The ARH Foundation Community Grants Program invests in projects that promote healthier communities. By supporting local nonprofits and government agencies, the program helps expand access to resources, address emerging needs, and improves the well-being of individuals and families across Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia.

"This investment reflects what community partnership is all about," said Rocco Massey, CEO of Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center. "When organizations come together to support children and families, the impact extends far beyond one summer."

The ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities Community Grant Program is funded by donors and provides up to $5,000 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies working to improve well-being across Appalachian Regional Healthcare's service region. To learn more or to support initiatives like this, visit https://www.ARH.org/donate.

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About Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH)
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) traces its roots back to 1955, when the United Mine Workers of America opened the Miners Memorial Hospital system - a network of 10 hospitals dedicated to providing care throughout the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Seventy years later, ARH has grown into a 14-hospital not-for-profit health system that serves more than 500,000 residents of central Appalachia each year. ARH hospitals in Barbourville, Harlan, Hazard, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky, and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, ensure that residents, tucked away in even the most remote areas, can access the highest quality of care without traveling hours from home. ARH's hospitals, clinics, multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores, retail pharmacies, and medical spas boast more than 6,700 employees with a network of more than 1,300 providers, making it the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.