Appalachian Family Equity Collective
Our Commitment
AFEC is building long-term, community-accountable infrastructure. What we are building is not temporary programming, but a durable institution for family equity. We honor the land and people of this region, protect the sacredness of birth and parenting, and work toward a future where every family has what they need to flourish close to home.
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Appalachian Family Equity Collective (AFEC)
The Appalachian Family Equity Collective is a regional anchor for maternal, infant, and family well‑being serving Hocking, Athens, Perry, and Muskingum Counties. We strengthen the conditions families need to thrive by weaving together community-rooted care, equity-centered advocacy, and practical support systems shaped by Appalachian traditions of mutual aid.
AFEC was founded to confront the deep racial, economic, and geographic inequities that shape family health in southeastern Appalachian Ohio. Our work is informed by the region’s long history of community-held care and by the many cultural lineages of families here across generations. We honor those traditions while building support systems for the realities families face today- limited access to providers, economic precarity, and the region’s persistent maternal and infant mortality crisis.
What we do:
Family Support & Navigation:
Trauma-informed, culturally rooted support that helps families access care, resources, and community networks without shame or gatekeeping.
Maternal & Infant Health Equity:
Programs that address the structural conditions driving poor outcomes, centering dignity, autonomy, and Appalachian-rooted care traditions.
Community Partnerships:
Collaboration with local organizations, health systems, and justice-centered partners to build a coordinated regional response to family well-being.
Advocacy & Education:
Public education, training, and policy engagement that uplift the voices and needs of Appalachian families.