WYMT will partner with the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky and Concerts 4 A Cause this evening to host the ‘Appalachia Rising Above’ Flood Relief Concert Telethon to support flood relief efforts in Eastern Kentucky.
Co-hosts Halfway to Hazard and three-time UFC Champion and UFC Hall of Fame member Rich ‘Ace’ Franklin will join WYMT’s Steve Hensley and Tanner Hesterberg at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg (50 Hal Rogers Dr, Prestonsburg) from 7-10 p.m. ET on Tuesday to raise $250,000 for flood relief.
Additionally, the telethon will be live-streamed on WYMT and WKYT and carried on multiple Gray Media stations.
Following the approach the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky used after the July 2022 floods, the money raised will help families, family farms, businesses, and nonprofit organizations impacted by the February 2025 flood.
Musicians like Halfway to Hazard, Nicholas Jamerson, Taylor Austin Dye, Tyra Madison, Cory Michael Harris, Lucy Becker, and more will take the stage to perform and encourage viewers to donate. Plus, special guest performances from Nashville, including Lee Greenwood, RICOCHET, T. Graham Brown, John Berry, Alex Miller, and more. Viewers can also anticipate video messages from Eddie Montgomery, Tracy Lawrence, Justin Moore, Tim Couch, and others.*
In addition to the concert, WYMT and the Foundation of Appalachia, Kentucky, are hosting a silent auction. On the auction block are autographed items from The Voice winner Jordan Smith, The Voice Contestant Jordan Allen, University of Kentucky Basketball player Trent Noah, autographed guitars, sports memorabilia, and more. Bid online at https://e.givesmart.com/events/HW1/ or by texting FLOOD25 to 76278.
WYMT and the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky are looking to help flood victims in Eastern Kentucky through a variety of grants, including:
• Support for Families
To identify flood-impacted families, the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky is using Crisis Clean Up:
There is no application for this grant. Each grant is $500 per family.
Registering with Crisis Clean Up makes you eligible for this grant.
Our goal is to serve a minimum of 1,000 families.
The first payments are expected to be distributed the week of March 3.
• Support for Family Farms
WYMT and the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky are partnering with Community Farm Alliance (CFA) to assist flood-impacted family farms.
This is a grant application process. Information can be found at www.appalachianky.org/flood.
If you have a family farm that was impacted, be sure to apply.
The Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky will use the same grant application and process as in the July 2022 floods.
• Support for Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations
This is a grant application process that targets for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations that were damaged or impacted by the February 2025 flood.
The Invest 606 Flood Relief Grant is now open. The board of the Appalachian Impact Fund will review applications.
More information is available at: www.appalachianky.org/flood