On Thursday, Dec. 12, Eastman Credit Union (ECU) presented a $1 million check to Appalachia Service Project designated for the rebuilding and repairing of homes destroyed by Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
“At ECU, our commitment to our members and communities is unwavering, and if there’s ever been a time to help, it’s now,” said Kelly Price, Eastman Credit Union’s president and CEO. “The devastation of this storm rocked us all, and today, we’re honored to come along beside ASP and support their great work financially and with boots on the ground in the future,”
Less than three weeks after Hurricane Helene’s destruction, ASP began its first build with an expected 18 homes to be under construction by the end of the year. However, ASP has applications for almost 200 homes with an expected five to ten years of work ahead due to the storm damage.
ASP receives funding from various sources to partially pay for home constructions, ECU’s donation will close the funding gap and provide homes for 30 to 40 families displaced by Hurricane Helene.
“This incredible gift from Eastman Credit Union is a testament to the power of community and compassion,” said ASP President and CEO Melisa Winburn. “It’s not just about rebuilding houses; it’s about rebuilding lives and strengthening the connections that make a community thrive. Together, we’re showing families affected by Hurricane Helene that they are not alone.”
“When we first met with ASP, they described their mission as relationships with a little construction on the side,” said Price. “I loved that because ECU’s service philosophy centers around building relationships. We desire to help members along life’s journey. Beyond that, we seek to build relationships with amazing organizations focused on helping our communities thrive.”
ECU’s donation to ASP is the largest single donation in ECU’s 90-year history, but it’s not the first time the credit union has donated following Helene. In the days after the hurricane, ECU donated $200,000 divided among multiple agencies and special projects including Second Harvest Food Bank, Feeding Southwest Virginia, the regional United Way offices, the local Salvation Army, Region AHEAD (Appalachian Highlands Economic Directory) Small Business Flood Recovery fund, Tennessee Credit Union League Staff Relief Fund and the American Red Cross.
Many of the organizations ECU supported with emergency funds immediately after the storm also work collaboratively with ASP and the families they help. Beyond financial support, ECU and its employees are also rolling up their sleeves to make a difference.
“Within the first few days, staff asked what they could do to help. We immediately offered the opportunity to join the Coalition for Kids backpack toy drive. We quickly exceeded our goal of filling 250 backpacks with toys and toiletries for children impacted by the storm. Our employees have the biggest hearts,” said Price.
ECU also gave employees eight hours of paid time off to volunteer in their communities and purchased Unicoi County Apple Festival shirts for a staff fundraiser to support the Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce. The Apple Festival, a staple benefit event since 1978, attracts a crowd of 100,000 to the small town of 6,000. The primary funding source of the Unicoi County Chamber, the October festival was canceled due to the storm’s devastation.
“We knew from the beginning that ECU was in this for the long haul, and in addition to the immediate support we provided, our desire was to do something more,” said Price. “Helping people achieve homeownership is part of our daily work, so partnering with ASP is a perfect fit. We’re in the business of getting people in homes, too. We are also evaluating opportunities to offer volunteer support in 2025. There’s plenty of volunteer work available to help our communities get back on their feet.”
“Partnerships like this are what make our mission possible,” said Winburn, “Eastman Credit Union’s extraordinary support allows us to serve more families and restore more hope. This is what true community looks like—standing together to help those who need it most.”
For more information on ASP’s recovery efforts and how you can get involved, please visit ASPhome.org/HelpAfterHelene.
ABOUT ASP
Appalachia Service Project (ASP) is a Christian ministry, open to all people, that inspires hope and service through volunteer home repair and replacement in Central Appalachia. Since 1969, ASP volunteers have been making homes warmer, safer, and drier for families in need in Central Appalachia and providing life-transforming experiences for everyone involved. In recent years ASP has expanded its outreach to include building new homes for low-income families whose homes were destroyed by fire or flooding and others whose homes are beyond repair. Each year, ASP typically hosts approximately 10,000 volunteers working in four different Central Appalachian states, serving over 250 families with home repairs and new home construction. These homes come as gifts of grace to the families at no cost to them.
ABOUT ECU
Eastman Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee with 30 branches in Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. ECU is one of the nation’s top 50 largest credit unions, with over 340,000 members and more than 1,000 workers serving areas of Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and East Texas. For more information about ECU, visit ecu.org. Funds are federally insured by NCUA. Member Equal Housing Lender. Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit www.ecu.org.
