The Highland Educational Project (HEP) has been an outreach ministry of the Diocese of West Virginia for more than 70 years.  It is located in Welch in McDowell County, in one of the most impoverished areas of the country. 

Hundreds of families in McDowell County, West Virginia are in need of support. Of the 18,000 residents, more than 30 percent live at or below the national poverty level. 

McDowell County may sound familiar to you. It has made national headlines for drug-related deaths, been featured in documentaries, and was the setting for the book and movie "The Glass Castle", starring Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts. Unfortunately, each focused on true hardships, misfortune, and the everyday struggles faced daily by those in poverty.

HEP supports various programs including home repairs, addiction recovery, and family, youth, and children's programs. Today's needs are immense, and your support is needed. Each helping hand can make a difference as we seek to enrich the lives of those who reside in the southern-most area of the state.

The Diocese has revitalized its ministry to focus on four areas: spiritual, educational, physical/nutritional, and environmental. The goal includes various programs and projects to lift up West Virginia's poorest of the poor with support through programming - and prayer.