Photo Credit: Can’d Aid

Can’d Aid–the multifaceted national nonprofit organization that provides music experiences and education to underserved youth–has announced its involvement and partnership with the Lewisburg, W.Va based Healing Appalachia Festival. Set to stage from Sept. 19-21, Healing Appalachia will bring on sets from some of the biggest names in country, folk, roots rock, jam and more, all in service of recovery and harm reduction for communities facing opioid addiction. Leading the stacked bill of 24 acts is Tyler Childers, who has helmed the festival’s bill since its inaugural staging in 2018.

Childers, reared in Kentucky, has annually reaffirmed his commitment to fighting addiction from personal experience with soul-stirring headline sets. Beyond the top billing, the fifth annual Healing Appalachia will feature contributions from other icons like My Morning Jacket, Sierra Ferrell, Shooter Jennings and Benjamin Todd & Lost Dog Street Band; further fan-favorite acts include Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, S.G. Goodman, Hiss Golden Messenger, Sierra Hull, Dan Reeder, Oliver Wood Trio and many more.

97 cents of every dollar made from Healing Appalachia is invested back into the Appalachian community. After the 2023 presentation, which saw the festival’s first-ever three-day program, the producing Hope in the Hills charitable organization distributed over $450,000 to communities around the region to combat opioid addiction through a broad range of support initiatives.

Can’d Aid supports Healing Appalachia through its Crush It Crusade program, which fosters an eco-oriented zero-waste festival atmosphere and runs sustainability training and certification for festival volunteers in recovery. This year, the nonprofit will partner with Mountain Grrl Experience and the University of Pikeville to host an interactive booth where attendees can help decorate and assemble ukuleles that will be donated to a newly formed after-school music program for disadvantaged youth. Participation is free, but donations are welcomed and will support Can’d Aid’s range of charitable endeavors, including the Crush It Crusade program and its work to provide musical instruments and education to underserved youth, in partnership with TUNES ambassadors like Childers and The Infamous Stringdusters (pictured above).

For more information on Healing Appalachia’s 2024 programming and tickets, visit healingappalachia.org. To learn more about Can’d Aid’s mission and how you can support the organization, visit candaid.org.