The conference will be held on the campus of Kentucky Christian College in Grayson, Kentucky, and co-hosted by KCC s Social Work Program. Grayson is located in the hills of eastern Kentucky and is surrounded by three beautiful state parks. You may want to consider spending the weekend and enjoying the beautiful scenery and hospitality in this scenic part of Appalachia. Eastern Kentuckians have a strong heritage of independence and loyalty. Yet like many parts of Appalachia, Eastern KY has historically been considered demographically isolated from mainstream society.
Poverty is a social issue faced by many here.
The local professional community is working hard to face the challenges of poverty in this area, and so the topic of welfare reform, the focus of this conference, is an extremely relevant topic for us. On a personal note, I had the privilege of working with Bill in my first job as an undergraduate social worker. I remember sharing a number of stimulating conversations with Bill about the integration of faith and social work practice. This conference is being presented in collaboration with The Salvation Army s Project Breakthrough, Roberts Wesleyan College s Center for Christian Social Ministry, and Bethel Christian Fellowship. During his first few weeks in office, US President Bush was quoted as saying, A compassionate society is one which recognizes the great power of faith. . . .