Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Crystal Osborne
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With the ever-changing world of laundry detergents, machine choices, stain removal products and general laundry care and safe laundry practices to consider, the need to educate consumers to make the safest, most efficient choice is needed. Every 45 minutes, a poison control center in the U.S. receives a call about a child who has been exposed to laundry detergent chemicals. (Center for Injury Research and Policy at National Children’s Hospital) The Lee and Owsley County Family &a
Author: Jill Harris
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
New or expectant mothers in Todd County reported an increase in knowledge and skills that will help them adopt healthier lifestyles for themselves and their babies. Pre-natal care is critical to healthy births; it is associated with higher birth weights and lower infant mortality rates. Todd County ranks one of the lowest in the state for women who seek prenatal care in their first trimester, with less than 67% of all pregnant women seeking early pre-natal care. To help address this need, the To
Author: Heather Cheek
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The home appliance industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. With the rise in popularity of new kitchen appliances like electronic programmable pressure cookers and air fryers, the Mason County FCS Agent partnered with the Bracken County FCS Agent and two Mason County Extension Homemaker Volunteers to develop a new program called “What’s In My Kitchen?” for the residents of Mason County. The program occurred on the second Thursday from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm starting in
Author: Rebecca Miller
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With more and more children being raised by grandparents and drugs affecting many families, young children are finding themselves in unsafe situations. Often, times they do not know where to go for help or what they should do if an emergency arises. Several families and community members reached out to the Bell County Cooperative Extension Service for help to get young children familiar with community helpers in our area and ways to make them feel safe. Wi
Author: Bonita Jolly
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the 2016 childhood Agricultural Injuries Fact Sheet complied by the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, every three days a child dies in an ag-related incident and each day 33 experience some sort of injury. The leading cause of fatalities include machinery, primarily tractors (25%); motor vehicles/ATV’s (17%) and drowning (16%). Recognized
Author: Matthew Futrell
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Special CowpokesThe Christian County Cattlemen’s Association set out with a goal to have impact on the youth of Christian and surrounding counties. While many times special needs youth are not given the opportunities of conventional outdoor education, it was the goal of the Cattlemen’s Association to see that the special needs youth had the opportunity for a new type of educational experience.According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 13% of public educat
Author: Whitney Hilterbran
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Safety is a topic often forgotten until strategy strikes. In an effort to bring awareness of safe practices to Scott County, Scott County Cooperative Extension Office partnered with several community agencies to promote various types of safety. The Safety Day event was held on October 20th and drew over 400 attendees from all walks of life. Those who came to the event received educational materials about various types of safety provided by partnering agencies including local fire departments, po
Author: Diana Doggett
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The U.S. Census Bureau Community Survey reports the 3.4 million Americans have low vision or no vision (CDC). The National Federation of the Blind indicates that 130,800 Kentuckians have a visual disability. Fayette Extension FCS partnered with community partners to plan and provide a symposium for 55 low vision care providers and interested participants featuring the top experts as well as the latest innovations and advances in the field of low vision. Presenters, including physici
Author: Laken Campbell
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With the ever-changing world of laundry detergents, machine choices, stain removal products and general laundry care and safe laundry practices to consider, the need to educate consumers to make the safest, most efficient choice is needed. Every 45 minutes, a poison control center in the U.S. receives a call about a child who has been exposed to laundry detergent chemicals. (Center for Injury Research and Policy at National Children’s Hospital) The Lee and Owsley County Family
Author: Jill Harris
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Electric pressure cookers are currently dominating the consumer small appliance market. Consumers see them as a way to streamline the cooking process. Manufacturers are promoting them as appliances that make cooking easier, faster, smarter, and healthier. Using an electric pressure cooker can help consumers save money, save energy, save time, and encourage healthy behaviors. However, many people are leery of using them or hesitate to purchase them because of safety concer
Author: Amanda Wilson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Eating healthy, and saving money are two major topics in society. With “unhealthy” options more affordable, people are searching for ways to eat healthy and still be frugal. The McCracken County Cooperative Extension office offered a class under the umbrella of our “#Adulting” series entitled “Cooking on a Budget”. Chef Guy Brown spent the evening preparing meals that were not only healthy, but inexpensive. In fa
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With an estimated 9,397 Barren County residents living in poverty and many others living as working poor, a substantial number of families make too little to afford a basic budget. Promoting healthy financial behaviors is a priority for Barren County and the Smart Shopping Tips program set out to do this through education on grocery shopping budgeting, meal planning, and food storage and freezing techniques.The Barren County Extension Agent for FCS presented the program on two different occasion
Author: Jordan Crain
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
What’s all the Buzz about Beeswax Wraps and Green Cleaning?In response to the trend of using Beeswax Wraps as a healthy and reusable alternative to plastic wrap and Green Cleaning Products, Green County residents showed interested in learning how to make their own wraps and cleaners. DIY wraps are simple and fun to make. Cleaners are also simple to do. During the first class, participants learned about the use of the wraps, their potential to be used in the home, and how to make them
Author: Kelli Bonifer
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the most recent data from the Kentucky Poison Control Center, they received 79,658 calls from the public. Forty-nine percent of those calls concerned children age five and under. Two hundred and forty-nine of those calls were from Adair County.To help educate that age group, the Adair County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent collaborated with the Family Resource Center and Adair County Primary Center offered Be Aware of Look A-Likes: Always Ask First. The
Author: Brenda Cockerham
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
In 2018-19, FCS was able to reach 3, 601 youth and families with information about foods and nutrition through various efforts. The Snap program reached 273 youth with marked results such as an average of 77% of participants improving their diets by adopting one or more improved food selection behaviors and an average of 65% adopting 1 or more behaviors related to improved physical activities. Volunteer instructors at K-3 at Central Elementary have been reached with Organwise program
Author: Bethany Wilson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Sky Hope Rehabilitation Center is a 100-bed facility for women with drug addictions. Pulaski County has a large drug abuse problem. Gardening has been shown to have many positive effects on humans. There are physical, cognitive, social, and psychological benefits such as improvement in self-esteem, alleviation of depression, increased strength and stamina, and decreased stress. Winter programs consisted of sessions on vegetable gardening, straw bale gardening, raised bed garden
Author: Louis "Jenie" Carter
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
One Person Can Make a DifferenceLouisville, Kentucky like other cities and communities is trying to address the opioid and addiction crisis. Mayor Greg Fisher in a statement said “the opioid crisis is a vital concern to public safety in this community”. Community groups and organizations are doing what they can to help.One agency, Volunteers of America Mid-States, Inc. (VOA) is making a major impact in the lives of the people they serve, especially pregnant women who are fighting add
Author: Kathy Byrnes
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to Michigan State University Extension, gardening-considered a moderate intensity level activity - can reduce the risk for obesity and many chronic diseases. They also report on the effectiveness of gardening as a scientifically noted stress reliever. The Kenton County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated with the Northern Kentucky Extension Homemakers Housing and Environment chairs, plus the horticulture staff in Kenton, Boone and Campbell counties to o
Author: Karen Denniston
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
1 in 5 adults in America experience a mental illness and 90% of those who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness. Mental illness does not discriminate by race, culture, gender or financial status. These numbers are terrifying however as a society it is uncomfortable to acknowledge or discuss this issue. The Bluegrass Area Extension Homemakers selected Mental Health Awareness as a monthly lesson for the 2019-19 year. Congratulations to this group for requesting i
Author: Judith Hetterman
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With sewing becoming more popular and a means to generate income, Family Consumer sciences Extension Agents coordinated the "It's Sew Fine For Home and Family Sewing Expo, providing hands on experiences learning programs to 165 participants from 48 Kentucky Counties and 19 states. The Sewing Expo attracts college educated women(65%; 22% had some college); over the age of 55 (87%) and a growing number under the age of 35 (22%) who belong to one or more organizations who address issues re
Author: Judith Hetterman
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With sewing becoming more popular and a means to generate income, Family Consumer sciences Extension Agents coordinated the "It's Sew Fine For Home and Family Sewing Expo, providing hands on experiences learning programs to 165 participants from 48 Kentucky Counties and 19 states. The Sewing Expo attracts college educated women(65%; 22% had some college); over the age of 55 (87%) and a growing number under the age of 35 (22%) who belong to one or more organizations who address issues re
Author: Lynn Blankenship
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education in Metcalfe County, compiled a four unit curriculum in 2014/15, which has been actively in the pilot process, for fine tuning and revision; prior to submission for publication through University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension publication process. The Metcalfe County FCS Agent piloted it first, with freshmen and subsequently with eighth grade students, over the past four years. For the 2018/19 program
Author: Joan Bowling
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The average household size has declined to 2.61 persons while the average home has doubled in size since 1950. However, people continue to have problems with managing clutter and knowing what to do with everything they have accumulated. One out of 11 people in the US rent storage space. Many factors play into why homeowners are overwhelmed with clutter. Internet shopping, super-center shopping stores, and an overwhelming amount of options has been a major contributor. As the baby boo
Author: Alexander Elswick
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The latest data on the opioid epidemic paints a dire picture for the state of Kentucky. In 2017, overdose mortalities rose for at least a tenth consecutive year, totaling more than 1,500 deaths. In response, the state has begun exploring new and innovative alternatives to the traditional modalities of treatment and recovery.Research indicates that for people with substance use disorders, and particularly for those who have become justice involved, the risk of relapse is highest durin
Author: Tamera Magee
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Homeownership is a part of the American Dream. However, with homeownership is a major monetary investment that also includes the responsibility of a maintenance and the task of deciding how a person wants their home to reflect their personality and lifestyle so that their home's value increases. There are many ways to learn how to decorate, repair and furnish a home. In some cases, we can just read a magazine or turn on the television to a favorite home design/decorate show or YouTube
Author: Ruth Chowning
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Sewing is cool again! Not too long ago, hand sewn items were considered “homespun”, “plain-Jane” and “unsophisticated”. But with the popularity of TV shows like Project Runway, Fashion Star and more recently Threads, sewing is now thought of more in terms such as “stylish”, “innovative” & “fashion-forward”. Keeping that in mind, the "It's Sew Fine For Home and Family Sewing Expo (Sewing Expo
Author: Sarah Hanks
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
To help families in Kentucky improve safety in their homes FCS agents were offered an opportunity to become trained in an updated national curriculum developed by the Healthy Homes Partnership. UK FCSE, in collaboration with LSU and MSU Extension Healthy Homes specialist provided a train the trainer session at the February FCS Inservice training. A total of 89 FCS agents were trained on how to use the recently updated Healthy Homes Partnership curriculum. Agents received an overview of the modul
Author: Danielle Ford
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Progressive Ag Safety is a wonderful grant program that we have received for the past couple of years that truly benefits the youth of our county. This year we had a record number of students participate, 384-4th graders in the district participated. There were numerous stations set up that included-water safety, chemical/drug safety, grain bin safety, animal safety, food safety, atv and tractor safety to list a few. The Marion county extension office collaborated with several community business
Author: Joann Lianekhammy
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center wrapped up its final year in its grant cycle. It was awarded 1.3 million dollars from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and was able to carry out subgrants to 15 organizations working in persistently poor, rural communities in 12 states. The organizations were able to implement a great number of strategies into their county infrastructure to better address child hunger. These strategies, along with the success – both captured qualitati
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
There has been a movement to “go green” in more ways than one in our society, and there has been a particular interest for citizens of Woodford County, Kentucky after the local recycling center announced that there would be certain limitations on the items they would be accepting. To help to educate the community on recycling as well as other green living areas, the Woodford County Extension Agent for Horticulture and the Woodford County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Scienc
Author: Rachael Price
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With sewing becoming more popular and a means to generate income, Family and Consumer Science agents coordinated its 14th annual “It’s Sew Fine” Sewing Expo, providing hands-on, experiential learning programs. Over the years, the program has grown to attract participants from across Kentucky and surrounding states.While the sewing expo has been a consistent event that many attended annually, we have seen growth this past year. Not only did the average number of participan
