Operation Sharing celebrates 30-year anniversary

CAP CEO Guy Adams, right, speaks while Operation Sharing Director Jeff Burchette looks on during the 30th anniversary celebration for Operation Sharing, held last Thursday at its facility in Corbin.

One of the largest non-profit organizations in the U.S. celebrated its 30th anniversary last week, and one of its main distribution centers is located in Corbin.

“Operation Sharing,” a program of the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), gathered employees, volunteers and corporate partners together for a special celebration in Corbin last Thursday.

Guy Adams, President and CEO of CAP, told the group the program has “built momentum” over the years through the dedication of its employees and volunteers, and generosity of its contributors.

“I’m mindful of just how fortunate we are. CAP is blessed to have a great mission … that mission stems from our lord and savior Jesus Christ and our commitment as a faith-based organization,” Adams said. “We are all about building hope, transforming lives and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia.”

As a CAP program, Operation Sharing brings businesses and people together to deliver hope to individuals and families in dire need. Operation Sharing receives donations from corporate America. Donations include items from food and books to furniture and building supplies. Each year an estimated more than 1.5 million people in all 13 Appalachian states are impacted by donated materials.

In its 30 years of existence, Operation Sharing has received and distributed over $1.5 billion worth of donated items. The program has partnerships with more than 1,000 non-profit organizations, community-based agencies and churches throughout the region.

It also receives significant contributions from corporate partners.

Adams personally thanks Forcht Group of Kentucky Chairman and CEO Terry Forcht, and his wife Marion, for their generous support of the program over the years. Adams also thanked Mike and Vicky Phipps for their support of CAP.

“We couldn’t do what we do without our employees. We couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers,” Adams said. “We also draw encouragement from partners like Terry and Marion Forcht and the Forcht Group. They have been partners with CAP for a long time and they support this mission in a generous way.”

Adams then shared some scripture with the crowd — Psalm 27:1.

Operation Sharing Director Jeff Burchette told employees and volunteers that the organization had already received 70 large donations this year. Usually 90 total in a calendar years is the most it would get.

“We may set a record for the whole 30 years we’ve been in existence,” he said. “It should be the best in the last 10 years anyway.”

Operation Sharing has two facilities in Kentucky — it’s Corbin warehouse, which serves 734 agencies, and another in Hagerhill that serves 497.

Altogether, CAP is the 12th largest charity in the nation. There are roughly 1.1 million registered charities.

Everyone who attended the event got a meal. There was a cornhole tournament, a free throw shooting contest and a checkers tournament. Winners received prizes. Door prizes were also given to lucky employees and volunteers.