Americans Helping Americans – Helper of the Month Award for November!

Posted on: November 25, 2019

We would like to acknowledge Larry Hellmann as the recipient of the Americans Helping Americans – Helper of the Month award for November! Congrats Larry!

Appalachian Outreach (AO), Americans Helping Americans® partner in Jefferson City, Tennessee, depends heavily on their local volunteers. They invest themselves in serving others and Larry Hellmann is a perfect example of someone who always goes above and beyond.

Larry has volunteered with AO for almost 10 years. During this time, he has taken on a variety of roles. Currently, he works at Appalachian Outreach‘s Donation Center, picking up donated food for their pantry and assisting with their events such as Coats for the Cold and the School Supply Drive.

Karrie Foust, Appalachian Outreach Ministry Center Coordinator, commented:

“One of the things I love about Larry is he is a behind the scenes guy that wants to do whatever to help the ministry run smoothly. He often states that he is just here to help. He reminds me of Barnabas as described in the New Testament. He was a worker bee that often encouraged others. Barnabas made things happen but did not need to get credit or be in the spotlight.”

Larry is a retired fire chief from Florida that retired to East Tennessee. He is not only involved in Appalachian Outreach but volunteers with other agencies in the community as well as his church. Thank you Larry for being willing to serve in such a practical way. You are making a huge difference!

The Helper of the Month award is designed to show the amazing, wonderful, hard-working, and dedicated people in the Appalachian communities we serve every day. Each month, we’ll be sharing these stories with you in the hopes that you’ll walk away as inspired as we are to do good things in your community!

Stay up to date with the latest news.

Two young boys smile while holding Americans Helping Americans food boxes.

Child Hunger in the U.S.: The Facts and How You Can Help

No child in America should have to worry about where their next meal will come from. Yet for millions of families, this uncertainty is a daily reality. Child hunger in […] Read More

Volunteers loading food boxes donated by Americans Helping Americans® into a car to support families in need.

Understanding Poverty in Kentucky: Causes and Solutions

Kentucky continues to face one of the highest poverty rates in the country, and the numbers tell a sobering story. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Kentucky poverty rate was 16.4% […] Read More

250 Years of Americans Helping Americans volunteer holding fresh fruit to support food security and hunger relief efforts in Appalachia

250 Years of Americans Helping Americans: Fighting Hunger in Appalachia One Food Box at a Time

Since 1776, Americans have relied on their relatives, neighbors, and friends, charitable organizations (such as Americans Helping Americans®), and their communities at large to help them through the challenges our […] Read More

Children and families receive warm blankets and winter supplies at a community support center.

Why is There So Much Poverty in Georgia?

Georgia is one of the most economically diverse states in the nation, with booming metropolitan areas alongside deeply struggling rural communities. So many people wonder, is Georgia a poor state? […] Read More

Appalachia Tennessee: Where It Is, What It Means, and Which Counties Count

Appalachia is a widely used name for a multi-state region in the eastern United States, shaped by shared geography, history, and economic conditions. For official federal regional planning and data […] Read More

Understanding Poverty in Tennessee

Families across Tennessee continue to face the difficult realities of poverty. Rising costs of housing, food, and healthcare, combined with job losses and long-standing systemic issues, leave thousands struggling to […] Read More

Help Us Equip Appalachia Volunteers With the Tools Needed to Repair Homes

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade.” For Big Creek People in Action (BCPIA) in McDowell County, West Virginia, having […] Read More

Summer Camp Programs in Appalachia Support Children Beyond the School Year

This summer, thanks to the supporters of Americans Helping Americans®, we are once again able to support summer day camp programs in rural Kentucky and West Virginia, benefiting a projected […] Read More

Flood Recovery in McDowell County: Rebuilding Homes in Appalachia After Disaster

In February 2025, McDowell County, West Virginia, was hit once again with historic flooding following “the worst floods” of 1977, 2001, and again in 2002, reports The Appalachian Voice. “But […] Read More

Summer Hunger in Appalachia: How Food Programs Are Helping Children When School Is Out

Americans Helping Americans® is preparing now for the summer months, when thousands of children in Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia will lose access to the school meals they rely on during […] Read More