Project Dignity: Launched to restore and bring long-overdue recognition to the cemeteries associated with the former Weston State Hospital.

Working with the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities to pursue a license agreement allowing for access, preservation work, and long-term stewardship of the cemetery grounds.

Three engraved memorial stones are in development, alongside plans for general site maintenance and improvements intended to restore dignity and visibility to the burial grounds.

Submitted research and documentation supporting the eligibility of the Weston State Hospital Cemeteries for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, a determination formally recognizing their historical significance.

A deed transfer was formally requested to establish a multi-organizational legal trust that could collectively steward the cemeteries and ensure long-term care. While the request was declined, the concept remains a viable framework for future consideration.

Applied for a West Virginia Historical Roadside Marker commemorating the Weston State Hospital Cemeteries. Although the application was submitted, the marker program is currently paused statewide and applications are not being reviewed. Written authorization has been granted for installation on West Virginia Department of Highways property in Weston, and initial verbal approval was received for a second nearby location. Both proposed sites are within view of the former Weston State Hospital.

Ongoing genealogical and historical assistance is provided to individuals seeking answers about family members once institutionalized in West Virginia state hospitals, including help locating burial information, institutional records, and historical context.

Essential Needs Assistance Program (ENAP)
Holiday meal kits have been provided to families in Upshur and Lewis counties, and support for community blessing boxes continues as funding allows. ENAP delivers direct assistance to households across both counties, supplying food, pantry staples, hygiene items, diapers, cleaning supplies, and other essential goods. Utility assistance is also provided through direct payments to service providers, helping families maintain access to critical services during periods of financial hardship. 

Kids Thrive
Kids Thrive expanded into four new schools in 2025, including three located in districts not previously served during the 2024–2025 school year. Support for partner schools has included clothing, diapers, wipes, detergent, take-home food kits, and Thanksgiving turkeys. The program has also sponsored school field trips to ensure every student could participate, renewed partnerships in Lewis County following outreach from Riverstone Community Services, and continues preparation for each upcoming school year in coordination with partner schools. 

Bed for Every Head
The Bed for Every Head program opened on August 26, 2025. During its first months of operation in 2025, twenty twin bed kits were placed along with two cribs, one toddler bed, and one stand-alone twin bed frame, reaching families in Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Barbour, Braxton, and Webster counties. Referrals came through multiple avenues including local schools, the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Child Protective Services workers, Head Start programs, and direct applications from community members. As the program continued to grow, additional placements expanded its reach across North Central West Virginia. In March 2026, Bed for Every Head was formally opened to serve families in all 55 counties of West Virginia.

Historical Recognition and Public Memory: Submitted a successful nomination for a Governor’s Citation honoring a former Weston State Hospital employee who later became one of the facility’s first tour guides and played a key role in early preservation efforts.

Cemetery Access and Transparency: Advocating for equitable and respectful public access to institutional cemeteries and transparency surrounding the history of state hospitals, particularly in spaces where access has been limited or withheld.

Family Research and Records Assistance: Actively guiding descendants of former patients through the difficult and often emotional process of obtaining records. We assist families in locating burial information, patient documentation, and historical context to help them better understand their loved ones’ time in institutional care.

Survivor Support: Supporting former patients who are still living, many of whom continue to carry the burden of institutionalization. Whether by helping them navigate services, making referrals, or simply standing in acknowledgment of their experiences, we remain committed to those too often left behind.

Public Recognition and Awareness: Formally submitted a proclamation request to the West Virginia Governor’s Office to establish Dignity Day, a statewide day of recognition honoring those who died in former state hospitals, those who survived them, and those still struggling with mental illness today. The request was approved in August 2025, with the inaugural observance set for September 15.