McDowell County, WV, Faces Critical Loss of Support as Federal Funding Faces Cuts
MCDOWELL COUNTY, WV - Residents of McDowell County, West Virginia - the birthplace of the food stamp program - are bracing for potential setbacks in access to essential services as proposed federal budget cuts threaten vital support systems. The county, historically reliant on the coal industry, struggles with aging infrastructure and widespread poverty, and organizations working to improve conditions are raising concerns about the future.
DigDeep, a nonprofit organization, collaborates with the McDowell Public Service District to connect residents to water services, securing grants from the U.S. department of Agriculture’s rural progress program to extend water trunk lines to remote areas and assisting with individual home connections. The organization is also working to install wastewater treatment facilities for over 400 residents currently lacking adequate sanitation, some of whom currently dispose of waste directly into creeks.
the county’s water crisis stems from its economic history.When coal companies dominated the region, they controlled all aspects of life for miners, including housing and water infrastructure. As the coal industry declined, companies abandoned the county, leaving behind a deteriorating system. Today, manny residents rely on roadside springs or mine shafts for water and lack basic sanitation facilities, frequently enough needing to access restrooms at businesses, neighbors’ homes, or schools.
DigDeep currently funds projects through philanthropy, but a proposed Trump USDA budget would cut the rural water program by two-thirds, potentially halting ongoing public works projects. According to digdeep’s chief executive, George McGraw, “It’s not like the burden goes away. The burden just shifts, and utilities are forced to raise rates on customers, many of whom are below the poverty line.”
A recent correction to reporting noted that seven nonprofits in McDowell County stated they would face operating deficits without continued government funding.
This article was originally published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy and distributed by the Associated Press as part of a partnership supported by the Lilly Endowment.
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