"Preserving mountain stories, faith, and heritage — one memory at a time."
HEARTS OF APPALACHIA PROJECT
Our Front Porch Bookshelf
The Front Porch Bookshelf is a place where Appalachian stories are gathered and shared. Here, you’ll find books rooted in the mountains—history, storytelling, folklore, remedies, and the traditions that have shaped our communities for generations.
Alongside each book, we’re honored to feature Author Spotlights—sharing the voices, journeys, and stories behind the pages. From quilting and preserving to the everyday ways of life carried forward, this shelf holds more than books… it holds the people who keep Appalachia’s story alive.
Appalachia's
Mountain Pharmacy
Mountain
Cookery
A Special Taste of
Appalachia
My Life
On A Plate
Tim Carmichael is an Appalachian author and culinary historian from the mountains of North Carolina. His work preserves traditional recipes, folklore, and the everyday wisdom passed down through generations, capturing the spirit of Appalachian life through food, family, and storytelling.
Welcome
Hearts of Appalachia Project began as one woman’s effort to honor her Granny’s legacy and the stories of the mountains that raised her. What started as a personal mission has grown into a community-driven nonprofit shaped by artists, volunteers, students, and everyday folks who believe Appalachian voices matter.
Together, we gather stories from coal camps and country churches, record memories that might otherwise be lost, and create projects that reflect the grit, grace, faith, and compassion found throughout Appalachia. This work is built on love for these hills — and for the people who call them home.
Our Projects
-
Appalachia Holler Help: Holler Help organizes county-by-county resources to help Appalachian families find food, recovery, and community support.
-
Heartbeats of Appalachia: Video storytelling series featuring towns, coal camps, and communities across the region.
-
Faith on the Mountain: Faith on the Mountain is a place where pastors, Sunday school teachers, and youth leaders across Appalachia share short devotionals, encouragement, and prayer requests.
-
Memorial Tributes & Portraits: Creating personalized digital portraits to honor Appalachian coal miners and community members. Each piece preserves a face, a name, and a legacy — ensuring our mountain heroes are never forgotten
-
Stories from the Coal Mines: Preserving miners’ histories and honoring their families through portraits and documentaries.
-
Stories from the Mountains: Connecting generations by recording elders’ memories and guiding young volunteers in the art of storytelling.
-
Pearl & June Porch Wisdom: A lighthearted Appalachian duo sharing humor, heritage, and a touch of porch philosophy.
-
Community Resources: Sharing food, addiction, and outreach directories across counties to help families in need.
-
Nonprofit Resources: We've created a FB group which will list the nonprofit organizations you might receive help from or help support.
Volunteer
Opportunities
We’re looking for passionate folks to help collect stories for both Stories from the Mountains and Stories from the Coal Mines, assist with researching community resources across every Appalachian state we serve, contribute as guest writers on Appalachian heritage, and lend a hand with social media and outreach. Together, we can keep our mountain stories alive for generations to come.