McDowell County hurt by store closure

At first, it didn't seem like that big of a deal. Maybe you read the news? 154 Wal-Mart stores closing across the country.

I'm admittedly not a huge fan of Wal-Mart as a corporation and I am bothered by the negative impact they often have on local shops.

But what if the local food bank - on which thousands of people relied - was dependent on donations of meat and fresh produce from Wal-mart?
What if the local animal shelter was dependent on Wal-mart donations of pet food to continue to care for unwanted animals?
What if elderly people and medically fragile families were reliant on lower prescription prices; and those with mobility issues relied on Wal-mart scooters to do their shopping independently?
What if Wal-mart was a significant local employer?
What if the next nearest store for clothing and home goods was over an hour away, on treacherous mountain roads?

What if you lived McDowell County, WV? These are the questions you would be asking yourself.

Every year on the mission trip to McDowell, we make multiple Wal-mart runs. We do patronize the local hardware store and grocery store, but the range of products available at Wal-mart always draws us in. Unfortunately, it will no longer be an option. While this is merely inconvenient for mission groups, it is devastating for local residents, who are already reeling from coal mine shutdowns and the disappearance of mining jobs.

Within weeks of announcing the closure, the Wal-mart sign was painted black and the doors shuttered. Having spent even a brief time in McDowell, I now worry for the poor, the elderly and those who have unreliable transportation. I worry for the animals living at the Humane Society.

Our mission partner organizations are already swinging into action, trying to stretch their budgets a bit further. Loaves & Fishes foodbank is raising money to build a greenhouse to be able to grow fresh produce; and the Highland Educational Project (where we stay) is expanding the impact of their garden grant program. I have yet to connect with the Humane Society, but if I know the folks who run it, they will somehow find a way to make do with less.

So what can we do? This year, the proceeds from one of our fish fries will help to purchase a deep freezer for Highland Educational Project (HEP). In the short term, the freezer will provide additional storage so that they can purchase and store bulk food from a low-cost state program, and distribute it to neighborhood families - many of whom we've met and worked with. In the long term, the director of HEP is trying to put together financing to start a cattle farm.

There may be more actions that we can take to support our friends in West Virginial. But in the meantime, please remember the people of McDowell and other isolated rural communities in your prayers.