Good Works, Inc.

Hello, my name is Sophie Mather-Smith.

I grew up in Athens and have been, physically, very close to the Good Works community for most of my life. However, I was not really involved in the community until about six years ago, when I decided to do an internship with Good Works as part of a gap year after graduating from high school. Learning about different kinds of communities was important to me at that time, and so I decided to immerse myself in a different kind of community during that season. Previously, I had mostly been immersed in the university community in town, due to my family’s connection to Ohio University. Then, I did the Appalachian Immersion internship for a few months of my gap year, and I discovered that I was both immersed in Appalachia and in a Christian community that was committed to my spiritual growth as I lived and served with them.

As I became part of the community, I learned many things about myself, one of them being that I am energized by connecting with the Earth through gardening. I am leading the Good Works’ gardens initiative this year, and I am excited to continue to learn more about cultivating plants and relationships in tandem. I love watching God bring things to life, both literally and metaphorically, through working with the gardens.

As my new season with Good Works begins, I am also looking forward to having fun with and helping to guide young people that are part of this community through Friday Night Life Kids’ Club. I also will have a larger role in inviting people into our community, through promoting various opportunities to be involved with Good Works. I look forward to having the opportunity to invite people from this area and from farther away to join us in volunteering, serving, and loving our neighbors so that we might all experience more of the kingdom of God.