Coalfield Development: Rebuilding the Appalachian Economy from the Ground Up

The Positively West Virginia Podcast · Feb 22, 2018 · 31m

Coalfield Development operates as a family of five social enterprises. A social enterprise is a business that combines the compassion of the nonprofit sector with the efficiency of the for-profit sector.

The organization exists because in 2009 volunteers started to address concerns about housing in Wayne, WV. It was quickly realized that traditional charity was not nearly enough to address the deep, generational challenges they face. After intense community engagement, Coalfield Development pioneered a relationship-based, holistic approach to on-the-job training. Unemployed and underemployed…