AUTHOR BIOS

• Diane N. Loeffler, PhD, MSW is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work.
• Natalie D. Pope, PhD, MSW is an Associate Professor and Director of the PhD Program at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work.
• Raphael Adesiyan is a doctoral student in Health Promotion, University of Kentucky College of Education.
• Eyitayo Akomolafe is a doctoral student in the Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
• Holden Chase Dillman is a proud Appalachian and a doctoral student in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky.
• Courtlyn Fields is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky.
• Karallyn Fitisone is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky.
• Daniel Mountain is a PhD student in the College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky.
• Don Rooks is a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work and a clinical social worker in the U.S. Army.
• Ensieh Shahrjooihaghighi is a doctoral student in Physical Education, University of Kentucky College of Education.
• Rebecca Willis-Nichols, PhD, LCSW is a recent graduate of the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky 

ABSTRACT

Natural disasters have profound and enduring impacts on communities, necessitating both immediate relief and sustained recovery efforts. This study employs qualitative methods, specifically found poetry, to explore the experiences of nonprofit leaders working in Kentucky’s 2022 flood-affected counties. Poetic narratives, derived from in-depth interviews conducted in Spring 2024, reveal three central themes: (1) a commitment to community-led rebuilding, (2) persistent challenges related to inadequate funding and resources, and (3) the emotional and professional strain of disaster response. By preserving the voices of individuals at the forefront of recovery, this study highlights the complexities of long-term rebuilding while honoring the literary and oral traditions of Appalachia. The findings underscore the urgent need for continued support and investment in disaster recovery and rebuilding initiatives across the region. 

Keywords: found poetry, disaster recovery, qualitative research, resilience, Appalachian studies, nonprofit leadership, environmental justice 

Resilience in the Rhythm: Found Poetry from Leaders Working in Kentucky’s 2022 Flood-Affected Counties

The use of found poetry offers a non-traditional yet powerful way to analyze and present data from qualitative interviews. Patrick (2016) implores social scientists to take risks and to include poetic inquiry in their qualitative research and writing. For our research team, utilizing found poetry feels less a risk, and more a way to honor the deep connectedness of our interviewees, their experiences, and the literary culture of Eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia more broadly. Cotton (2021) epitomizes this tradition, saying: 

Poetry…is a conversation between people and their environment. Poetry is about working the dirt. It’s about crafting, tilling our environment, be it social, agricultural, political, cultural, etc. Poetry gives word to the language of survival. Our history, medicine, wisdom and culture are passed down through oral traditions. These traditions are poetry. (par. 8). 

Through found poetry we aim to honor the experiences of non-profit leaders whose lives, work, and communities were disrupted by the devastating flooding in Eastern Kentucky in July 2022.  This paper synthesizes qualitative interviews with employees and volunteers from social service organizations across the 13 counties declared federal disaster areas after the July 2022 floods. Yet, these poems are not the story of a single disaster. The 2022 floods were followed by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024 and the 2025 floods that again ravaged the region and its community organizations. The cycle of destruction and recovery continues, further straining already stretched resources and deepening the urgency of long-term investment in recovery efforts.  

These poems, created by members of the research team, are constructed from the transcribed interviews, using the participants’ own words and descriptions. Just as qualitative analysis involves identifying themes and extracting meaning from textual data (Braun & Clarke, 2022; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), crafting a found poem involves selecting and rearranging segments of narrative to highlight underlying themes and insights. Both processes require close engagement with the data, paying attention to statements and phrases that stand out as significant to the research purpose, and using participants’ own words to make sense of the data. Creating a found poem from interview transcripts means listening to discover and highlight the essence of what participants are sharing. 

Each poem was crafted from an in-depth interview with an organizational leader in one of the hardest hit counties of the 2022 floods. These poems highlight three recurring themes found in the data – namely the commitment to rebuild from within, the tensions around the lack of capital and resources available, and the work/life strain created during this time. Many communities are rebuilding, but the process will take decades and communities will be forever altered by the floods.  An estimated $450 – 950 million is needed to address the housing recovery efforts in Kentucky’s 2022 flood impacted counties alone (Dixon & Shelton, 2023). The cost to communities is not yet fully realized. Though the media has moved on, covering the next environmental disaster, Appalachian communities are still rebuilding; nonprofits continue to play a vital role in supporting these communities as they navigate ongoing flood impacts. Hear their voices: 

We Still Kept Our Mission

Another disaster    a river
flood   a flash  
What do you do?    days of
despair and disbelief   Two
floods in 18 months   with no
help   No money  

…it is a strain  

Lord, I cannot live through another flood  

I’m not big  
I do everything  
I’m at the commodity distribution line   
all the way through   I do all the
bookkeeping  
I work as a developer  
I put pieces together  
I did all that.  
I still do case files  
I see them all the way through  
I’m a rental manager  

I got three kids   it’s hard to
explain   it’s hard on
everyone   I’m good at
building houses   I’m good at
doing rehabs  

I’m the executive director  
It’s all passed down through generations  
No money, no mission  
It’s hard to make it here  

Money is number one. 
Emergency!  
Somebody wants to build a house in seven days  
I mean, somebody needs water  
They need flooring throughout their house  
And I just don’t have the money to buy the OSB  
No money, no mission  
What do you do?  

I applied for assistance funds  
Denied! Twice!  
Because down the creek lays the mailbox  
I have to get my mail out of the P.O. box  
Not a dollar or anything that’s helped to pay  
I was on my way out emotionally  
I’m not really good at raising money.  
I had to do it  

All hands-on deck  
Calling up people and asking for money  
These people need help  
We had nothing  
I did get some dollars  
Really quick  
We are digging  
I will build five free brand-new flood free homes  
But I’ll have to raise the unrestricted dollars  
That is real!  

Beyond the Flood: Rebuilding, Recovery, and Resilience  

The floods hit. High waters, homes swept away, it happened so quickly.  
The floods hit. We don’t have power. We don’t have cell service. We don’t have water.  
The floods hit. Widespread impact, falling through the cracks.  
What should we do?  

We did not fully understand the devastation right away.  
Overwhelmed and stressed, a seemingly never-ending journey, there just didn’t seem to be enough hours in the day.  
Extra tools, supplies, and materials: hammers, crowbars, fans, shop-vacs, shovels – all kinds of things.  

Cleaning up muck, being flexible, pivoting to help get things done.   
It’s going to take many years to really be able to build back from the flood.  
Building connections in Central Appalachia,   building community in Eastern
Kentucky,    building partnerships with other organizations,   building warm,
safe, dry, homes.  

In the midst of chaos that goes on in disaster recovery,   
Be sure to take care of yourself.   
You can’t pour out to others if your own cup is not filled.  
It is important to have this mindset.  
It is okay to step away. It is okay to ask for help.  
It is okay to take time for yourself.   
It is okay to rest.  

The landscape is always changing.  
We continue to seek out funding and invest our efforts into recovery and rebuilding.  
We continue to find balance.  
We continue to figure out balance.  
Houses should be a safe place.  
Houses stay in this community.   
Home does not need to move away.  
Ultimately, we’re still committed to long-term recovery.   

A lot of big changes are happening;  
the process of recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.   Resilient
Appalachia, Resilient Eastern Kentucky,   piece by piece, we
will build back from when the floods hit.   

Conclusion 

These poems, constructed from interviews recorded in Spring 2024 highlight the complexity of living and working in the aftermath of a climate-related disaster. They also highlight the adaptability of regional and local organizations as leaders respond to community needs and shift organizational priorities. Too often the stories of local organizations and leaders are left out of the narratives of disaster and recovery. As a result, the complexity of the need for both immediate post-disaster resources and long-term unrestricted capital is not fully understood. The 2025 flooding has once again shown that recovery is not a linear process, and the needs of Appalachian communities do not disappear once media coverage fades. The devastation of 2025 serves as a stark reminder that disaster recovery is not just about rebuilding homes but sustaining the communities that call this place home. Together, these poems showcase the power of community, resiliency of a region, and the tremendous need for long-term, unrestricted support, needed now more than ever.  

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage. 

Cotton, H.M. (2021). Commentary: Poetry gives words to the language of survival for

Appalachians. 100 Days in Appalachia.

https://www.100daysinappalachia.com/2021/06/commentary–appalachia–poetry–

and–the–language–of–survival–2/   

Dixon, E. & Shelton, R. (2023, February). Housing damage from the 2022 Kentucky flood.

Ohio River Valley Institute. https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/housing–damage–

2022–ky–flood/  

Merriam, S.B., & Tisdell, E.J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4^th ed.). Jossey-Bass.  

Patrick, L. D. (2016). Found poetry: Creating space for imaginative arts-based literacy research writing. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 65(1), 384-403. https://doi.org/10.1177/2381336916661530