SOAR is a regional nonpartisan nonprofit that champions local projects, programs, and advocacy for the 54 ARC-mandated counties in Eastern Kentucky. Our mandate: To fill the economic gaps left by the decline of the coal industry. Our task: To rally our communities to help us achieve these goals together for the good of all.
Our communities knew if they were going to regain economic stability, it was going to have to be an inside job.
They crossed county lines to coordinate ideas and join forces, gaining regional consensus for a sustainable and widespread plan.
SOAR was tasked to be the flag-bearer for the plan in 2013. We believe in the future of Appalachia.
And thanks to you, we’ve got a plan to prove it.
Your story is our story, too. That’s why we put our words into action. Each day, we strive to advance the cause of those in our region who have been left behind. The results are ones you can see and feel.
You need support. Our quarterly events held across Eastern Kentucky present projects, programs, and funding opportunities. These events are designed to bring change-makers together to create a better future for communities throughout Eastern Kentucky.
Your one-stop-shop for all things small business & entrepreneurship.
Find out how the top health experts are invested in our communities.
Read the latest accomplishments, initiatives, and success stories.
We’re grateful for the individuals we serve and the organizations who’ve stood by us to make our mission a reality.
We are so grateful for Shaping Our Appalachian Region and its partners and sponsors for creating a forum where agencies, organizations, businesses and each of us can create, collaborate, and deploy state-of-the-art ideas.
Together, we have faced our challenges head-on and united in our mission to make southern and eastern Kentucky a better place to live for future generations.
SOAR is living proof of what we can achieve when we come together to move the commonwealth forward.
Shaping Our Appalachian Region provides the opportunity for all to learn and work together to overcome similar problems in order to achieve common goals.
Starlink (through Shaping Our Appalachian Region) has made such a huge impact on my life. My parents can schedule and take doctor appointments without leaving the house! Also, I can do my job at the elementary school, because I have access to Google Classroom. Starlink is amazing!
I’ll never be able to express how grateful I am to the whole Shaping Our Appalachian Region team for helping me create a real, tangible way to achieve my dreams and working with me as a mom to lay the foundation for my family’s future.
I have been inspired by Shaping Our Appalachian Region in so many ways – inspired to do more for my community, inspired to collaborate more to improve the region, and inspired to work on my development as a person and a leader.
Jackson County is open for business, and we now have the pieces in place to let the whole world know. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of Shaping Our Appalachian Region. They listened and connected us with the right people to turn our idea into a reality.
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