By Michael R. Grigsby | Editor | Somerset Pulaski County Advocate
Image courtesy of Crown Missions (C) 2025 All Rights Reserved.
CROWN Missions: Living Out the Call to Love, Serve, and Transform
Somerset, Kentucky (SPA)-- In a world often defined by need, hardship, and uncertainty, CROWN Missions has emerged as a light of hope—serving both across the globe and right here at home. Founded on the belief that meeting needs with compassion opens the door for transformation, this small but mighty nonprofit continues to demonstrate what it truly means to live out the love of Christ.
The Beginning of a Calling
CROWN Missions began its journey in 2014 with a single overseas mission trip to Haiti. That experience changed everything. Founders Buffy and Jammie House, Misty Cundiff, Brian and Jennifer Merrick, and Carlee Faulkner witnessed firsthand the impact of showing up for people in their greatest moments of need. By 2019, their growing passion to serve led them to formalize their efforts into a nonprofit. The name CROWN is more than symbolic—it’s an acronym for Christians Reaching Orphans, Widows, and those in Need, rooted in James 1:27. From the beginning, the vision was clear: meet people where they are, love them deeply, and address not only their physical needs but their spiritual ones as well.
A Mission That Expands Across Borders and Backyards
While CROWN Missions’ early work focused largely on international service, the onset of COVID-19 redirected their attention home to Somerset, Kentucky, a place most of the team calls home.
“Our heart has always been to love our neighbors—both near and far,” says Buffy House. “When travel shut down, we realized there were countless opportunities to serve right here in our community.”
Today, CROWN Missions operates on two fronts:
- Internationally, providing medical care, Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs, and humanitarian aid in Belize, the Dominican Republic, and Cambodia.
- Locally, mobilizing volunteers for disaster relief, home repairs, wheelchair ramps, and other urgent needs.
From rebuilding after devastating tornadoes in Kentucky to aiding flood victims and hurricane survivors in other states, their approach is simple: If we can help, we will. If we can’t, we’ll find someone who can.
The Power of Partnership
CROWN Missions thrives because of collaboration. More than 30 local churches have partnered in various projects—providing meals for mission teams, hosting out-of-town volunteers, donating supplies, and offering financial support. Community partners like Caleb Wilson Lumber, Look to the Nations, KY Baptist Disaster Relief, and local businesses have also played vital roles.
Such partnerships allow the organization to meet pressing needs, from wheelchair ramps for the elderly to emergency housing repairs after storms.
How the Community Can Join the Mission
CROWN Missions offers many ways for individuals and groups to get involved:
- Volunteer Skills & Time – Construction skills are valuable, but so is a willing heart. No experience? No problem—training happens on-site.
- Youth & Family Service – The organization embraces hands-on, family-style mission work, creating opportunities for young people to serve alongside adults.
- Material Donations – A revolving Amazon wish list ensures needed supplies are just a click away.
- Financial Support – Donations may be sent to CROWN Missions, PO Box 1445, Somerset, KY 42501, or through other giving channels.
- Prayer & Advocacy – Lifting up the team and sharing their mission is one of the most powerful contributions anyone can make.
Image courtesy of Crown Missions (C) 2025 All Rights Reserved
Impact That Transforms Both Givers and Receivers
In the past year alone, CROWN Missions has:
- Provided medical care to approximately 700 people and VBS for 100 children in Belize.
- Assisted with tornado relief for multiple families in Pulaski County, rebuilding, cleaning up, and providing direct financial and material support to 15 families.
- Helped with urgent housing and infrastructure needs, such as insulating a tiny home for a local family and repairing a widow’s porch.
But the true measure of their work is not found in numbers—it’s found in the lives touched.
“When you give someone hope in their darkest time, that’s the reward,” the team shares. “Serving isn’t just a project—it’s a lifestyle.”---Buffy House, Crown Missions
On example of the Mission’s success can be noted in the following story. In 2017, a single mother named Amy was preparing for a mission trip when her teenage daughter, Jaden, became ill. Unsure if the trip was possible, Amy prayed and shared her heart with the CROWN team. Within weeks, God provided the funds for Jaden to join. That trip would change her life forever. Serving in Haiti inspired Jaden to pursue healthcare, eventually becoming a CNA and entering nursing school. Her journey is a living testimony to the ripple effect of missions.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future
In the next 3–5 years, CROWN Missions aims to strengthen its leadership, expand disaster relief capabilities, and continue building on its reputation as a trusted, Christ-centered community resource. With more resources, the team would immediately invest in more wheelchair ramps and home repair projects, ensuring those with physical or financial limitations can live safely and with dignity.
A Heartfelt Message to the Community
Life is hard. Many people feel unseen and unloved—believing no one cares. CROWN Missions exists to prove otherwise.
“You can tell someone God loves them, or you can show them by meeting their basic needs,” the team explains. “Most people aren’t looking for a handout—they’re looking for a hand up. There’s a big difference.”—Buffy House,
Guided by Micah 6:8—“Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God”—and the reminder from Crown Missions' Misty Cundiff, to “Go be Jesus to someone”, CROWN Missions continues to stand as a living example of compassion in action.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
You can make a difference today. Pray. Serve. Give. Look for needs in your community. And never underestimate the power of small acts of kindness to change lives—because sometimes, the smallest gesture can be the start of someone’s most significant breakthrough.
📌 Follow CROWN Missions on Facebook: CROWN Missions Facebook Page
📌 Amazon Wish List: View List Here
Image courtesy of Crown Missions (C) 2025 All Rights Reserved
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(C) 2025 Somerset-Pulaski Advocate. All Rights Reserved
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