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Wlaf1450By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- At Tuesdays Campbell County Rotary Club Luncheon, Rotarians learned more about the non-profit Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) and what all it does for Campbell County and the other three counties the organization serves.
Annie Cacheiro, who is the Executive Director of ADFAC, shared the exciting news that the nonprofit hopes to expand more services specifically into Campbell County this year.
TOP PHOTO: Two new members join Rotary- Crystal Hicks , left, with Emory Valley Center and Campbell County Director of Schools Charlotte McCoy were both inducted into the Campbell County Rotary Club at the club’s Tuesday luncheon meeting held at the LaFollette Methodist Church. Hicks was sponsored by Rotarian Cyndi Russell with ORNL Federal Credit Union, and McCoy was sponsored by Rotarian and School Board member Brandon Johnson.
Cacheiro has been with ADFAC for 17 years. She went over the history of the organization, along with its outreach programs and services offered.
Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties began in the “mid 1980s as a local ecumenical effort to provide assistance to impoverished families.” It was officially incorporated as a nonprofit in 1987. The nonprofit’s mission is “to provide effective and essential support through programs designed to guide clients on the path to a secure future.”
It began with Kathy Stimpson who began helping those that needed it in the 1970s and early 1980s.
According to Cacheiro, one third of the ADFAC board represents lower income, which results in an engaged board of directors that have a true perspective on what it means to be lower income and how the programs can best help those in need.
The organization is a United Way Partner and has other strong partnerships like church other nonprofits, civic groups, local and state governments, grant providers, corporations, service clubs and volunteers.
“Our main goal is helping our lower income neighbors. We help our clients work towards stability,” Cacheiro said.
She spoke about the community needs in Campbell County, explaining that assets are limited here and that 19.2 residents in the county live below the poverty level, including 21.1percent of children under the age of 18 and 14.2 percent of seniors 65 and older.
“It’s people who live right above that poverty line and are not eligible for government assistance. They work but are one event away from being able to pay their bills like a medical emergency, sickness or a car breaking down,” Cacheiro.
In 2025, ADFAC impacted over 7,000 lives and spent $1.4 million reinvested in communities.
The hope for ADFAC to start a pilot program in Campbell County to start a Household Assistance program by the end of the year.
This program already exists in Anderson County. This program provides utility and rent Assistance, pantry and food items and more.
Another program ADFAC provides is Appalachian Housing Partners. This is available in Anderson, Campbell, Roane and Morgan Counties. This program provides home repairs/rehabilitation, volunteer repair projects, budget coaching and referrals.
Another program ADFAC provides is the School Supplies Program which is also in Anderson, Campbell, Roane and Morgan Counties. This provides school supplies in all four counties.
She went over expectations for 2026.
“We have $1.7 million budgeted for client assistance, up to 15 new home rehabilitation projects in all four counties. School supplies for 6,000 students in 55 schools
In 2025 and 2026 ADFAC provided school supplies and backpacks for 1,078 students in 11 schools. The organization expects to provide 1,250 students with supplies in 11 schools in the county.
The Campbell County Rotary has worked on service projects with ADFAC in the past and actually has a school supply service project this week to fill backpacks with school supplies for the county.
“This is a great organization that helps Campbell County and we are proud to partner with them on this project,” said Rotary Club President Tracie Davis.
For more information on ADFAC, visit here or call 865.483.6028. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-07/22/2026-6AM)