Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Michael Lewis
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
With our partners at Cardinal Hill, we worked to increase accessibility in their outdoor garden areas. Specifically we added a section of raised garden beds for the early childhood education rehab program. The children spend over an hour very day of their time playing and working in the gardens. Program director reports on the excitement of the kids when they are in the garden as they work play and learn together.
Author: Michael Lewis
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Since 1893, Stewart Home & School has been a community dedicated to the education of students with intellectual disabilities. The school’s philosophy has always centered on providing enriched opportunities for the pursuit of happiness – a lifestyle of choice for its students and their families. After an initial visit, it was determined that we should develop some sort of programming with the school and its students. The week after our first meeting we met a group of student
Author: Amanda Hardy
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Seventy-six million American children were born between 1945 and 1964. This generation is known as the “Baby Boomers”. Henderson County’s 65 years and older age group has increased by 11.17% over the last 10 years. Henderson County Extension FCS agent has partnered with Redbanks senior apartments programming coordinator and director for the last seven years to promote a program called the “Senior Expo”. This event was created to bring information to our seniors
Author: Hazel Jackson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to studies by Harvard (2012) individuals can lower their risks for cardiovascular disease by 20% by walking 20 minutes 3 times per week. This was the overall goal that the FCS encouraged during the Spring & Summer 2017 Walking Programs. In March the Couch Potato program was introduced just as the weather started to get warmer. 12 individuals received the online couch potato program for 12 weeks, another 15 people received their newsletters in
Author: Bonita Jolly
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
A report released from the Consumer Product Safety Commission shows more than 13,000 people were killed in ATV wrecks between 1982 and 2013 and of that number 595 deaths occurred in Kentucky.From 2010 – 2013 Kentucky ranked third in the nation in ATV fatalities and today still ranks in the top five.More than one-third of ATV-related deaths take place on paved roads and one-quarter of deaths happen to children.Education is key and youth continue to serve as the vehicle taking the message of
Author: Ricky Arnett
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The Green County Cooperative Extension Service Council and 4-H Teen Club identified the safety of youth in agriculture and the community as a critical goal for this past year. The Cooperative Extension Service, serving as the lead organization, teamed up with the Green County Cattlemen’s Association, and solicited support from the Progressive Farmer organization. The Cooperative Extension Service recruited several other partner organizations to assist in providing educational booths on top
Author: Tracy Cowles
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
One message at just the right time can change someone at that very moment.....their outlook, thought, their day or even their destiny. The BCKY Rocks Project is a partnership between the Butler County Cooperative Extension Service , the Butler County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent and the Butler County Library. BC KY Rocks started at a time when our community was hurting: we had have several car wrecks, deaths, and families hurting for one reason or another in a matter of just
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food accounts for about 21 percent of the American waste stream. And, 64 percent of that amount is preventable and 18 percent is possibly edible. The most common reason cited for food waste is the food was not used in time. Food disposed in the landfills accounts for about 18 percent of U.S. methane emissions coming from landfills and methane causes ozone depletion. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food waste costs consum
Author: Laura Maggard
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The Lawrence County Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent (ANR) and Family and Consumer Science Agent (FCS) hosted a 6 part series of workshops targeted at individuals who are looking to conserve on in home energy, start a compost pile, and how to limit their use of harsh chemicals in the home. Individuals in the community attended these sessions in the hopes of gaining new knowledge in order to provide a healthier home for their families and reduce living expenses as much as possible. Th
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Healthy Homes Inside and Outside SeriesAccording to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services 25.9% of Lawrence County residences are below the poverty line. With this information in mind, the Lawrence County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education and the Lawrence County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education collaborated to create and deliver a series of classes with the goal of helping under-served and diverse participants to evaluat
Author: Edith Lovett
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Handwashing with soap and warm water is a do it yourself vaccine that can help prevent diseases and saves lives. The handwashing technique is usually encouraged with young children but proper washing of the hands is a must among the elderly, who are most susceptible to diseases of all ages. Thirty-five senior citizens were taught the proper technique of washing their hands to help keep the flu vaccine and other diseases from spreading at the center. Many of
Author: Linda Combs
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
percent of households use it only for toasting foods (Energy Star Market Industry Scoping Report: Toaster Ovens, November 2011). Today’s toaster ovens have capability beyond toasting and use one-half to one-third less energy than conventional ovens. Additionally, smaller yield recipes may be more efficiently prepared in a toaster oven. Individuals who understand the advantages of toaster ovens may find them using the appliance to save energy and prepare more healthful meals. The Knott
Author: Rebecca Stahler
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Providing education in nutrition and healthy eating has long been a hallmark of Extension programming, and nutrition education is needed now more than any time in our history as we work to counter the negative effects of nutrition-related concerns.Americans currently possess drastically different cooking and eating practices compared with previous generations. In fact, the percentage of the food budget spent on away-from-home food has been gradually increasing since the mid-1970s, and today Amer
Author: Morgan Rousseau
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
"DOWNSIZING AND ORGANIZING YOUR HOME" Lesson Impacts Purchase & Pennryile Area HomemakersDownsizing your home and transitioning into a smaller living space has become a recent trend for older adults. As people age, their larger homes require upkeep, continued maintenance, and expensive utility bills. Seniors may also face accessibility and self-care challenges stemming from multi-level living. By downsizing and minimizing, a smaller home can provide significant savings on property
Author: Kelli Bonifer
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
About 1.7 million toaster ovens are sold in the United States each year. Twenty-seven percent of households use it only for toasting foods (Energy Star Market Industry Scoping Report: Toaster Ovens, November 2011). Today’s toaster ovens have capability beyond toasting and use one-half to one-third less energy than conventional ovens. Additionally, smaller yield recipes may be more efficiently prepared in a toaster oven. Individuals who understand the advantages of toaster ovens may find th
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings, in Hopkins County, respondents reported an average of 4.5 unhealthy days per month in the last year. For children, being ill leads to absenteeism from school, and missing important educational information. In an effort to combat the high incidence of illness and absenteeism due to illness in the Hopkins County Schools, the Hopkins County Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences approached the Family Resource and Youth Service
Author: Kathy Byrnes
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the American Cleaning Institute® (ACI), risk of infection occurs in the workplace, at home, in schools and other public places, due to the transmission of bacteria, foodborne pathogens and other microorganisms. A number of studies have demonstrated the ability of topical consumer products to reduce bacteria on the hands and the body, as well as the risk of infection. The consumer, however, is often left overwhelmed and confused with the many products on the market or the variety
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Extension Agents are challenged to reach the public using a number of diverse communication methods to provide research-based information through Cooperative Extension. In addition to in-person programming, newspaper articles, social media posts, newsletters, and radio segments, the Washington County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and Horticulture Agent now produce radio tips of the week. Family and Consumer Sciences radio tips are composed by the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, using in
Author: Alethea Price
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Radon is an odorless, tasteless gas that can seep into a home from the rocks beneath it. Radon is the second leading cause for lung cancer. This gas can be detected in a home very easily by using a simple home radon test kit.The FCS Agent attended an online webinar about radon. This webinar explained what radon gas is, how it gets into a home, how to test for it, and how to mitigate the problem if it's found. The FCS Agent partnered with the Boyle County Health Department to host a Radon Awa
Author: Lora Howard
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Clay County is a small rural county in Eastern Kentucky, families are encouraged to make choices to improve health and well-being, participate in physical activity. According to 2014 statistics 43% of Clay County is obese.The Family and Consumer Science Agent is a member of the Healthy Clay Committee and one of the original members for the ACHIEVE Grant. The committee has continued to provide leadership for health and physical activity, and community improvement through working together.Th
Author: Patrick Hardesty
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
In 2017 there were 30 active shooting incidents throughout the nation. A total of 138 were killed in the shootings. An active shooter is defined by the FBI as someone actively killing or attempting to kill in a populated area.In response to the rise of active shootings, the Taylor County Cooperative Extension Service requested a representative from the University of Kentucky to evaluate the Taylor County Extension Office and discuss with the staff options to make the facility safer.An
Author: Matti Coffey
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to research by the University of Waterloo in Canada, we are more likely to have long-term memory recall for items that we have drawn than we are for items we have written. Written text enters our short-term memory, which has a smaller amount of storage space in our brains, thus making it easier to forget. Using this logic, the Family and Consumer Sciences agent started combining lessons dealing with nutrition and gardening information with painting projects. Each month a canvas paintin
Author: Thays Flores
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to Pew Research, 37 percent of Americans reside in their hometown and have never moved. The same research study says the percentage is much higher for individuals who have a mental, social, or physical disability. Because 30.3 percent of Estill County citizens live at or below the poverty line, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent decided to host this Cooking Around the World program. The Agent collaborated with another FCS Agent in Bath County to educate participants about dif
Author: Karen Denniston
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The Bourbon County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent in collaboration with the Snap-ED assistant and Bourbon County Extension Homemakers provided the Recipe for Life Program experience to every fifth grade student in Bourbon County. 289 fifth graders participated in the preparation of 10 recipes while learning the importance of kitchen safety and sanitation, reading and following a recipe, proper measuring of both wet and dry ingredients and the math skills involved in altering re
Author: Mary Hixson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the average person will move 11.7 times during his or her lifetime. There are many reasons why a person may consider downsizing to a smaller home. In recent years, downsizing has become increasingly common, especially among older adults. Older adults are often interested in downsizing to meet retirement goals, simplify their lifestyle, or to live closer to family. Occasionally, the decision to downsize is one that is based on necessity; notably, the loss of
Author: Mary Hixson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Energy efficiency represents one of the most cost-effective pathways to lowering energy usage, though the biggest barriers to completing energy efficiency (EE) measures are basic skills/knowledge and the upfront money needed for tools/materials. Family and Consumer Sciences agent, Conmmunity Education and Bluegrass Community Action in Garrard County partnered with Bluegrass Greensource, a 16-year old environmental education nonprofit that serves 20 Central Kentucky counties, to provide a multi-l
Author: Gwenda Johnson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
According to the CDC, Elliott County has an obesity rate greater than 40%. To face the epidemic, using CDC/UK grant funds, the Partnership for a Healthy Elliott County placed an outdoor gym at Isonville Elementary. According to the principal and teachers at the school, the outdoor gym helped them leverage funding to extend recess time from twenty to thirty minutes. They increased the number of enrolled students participating in outside physical exercise from 75% to 90% daily and to 100% at least
Author: Gwenda Johnson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The area that once was the Elliott County Economic Development site has slowly become a recreation and events area. It is home to the 4-H shooting sports range, 4-H livestock pavilion, youth soccer, a fit trail, and the Farmers' Market pavilion. The Farmer's Market Pavilion is home to community events such as God's Pantry food distribution, educatioinal programs sponsored by the County Extension office and other organizatioins. The partnership for a healthy Elliott County saw the nee
Author: Anna Morgan
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
"DOWNSIZING AND ORGANIZING YOUR HOME" Lesson Impacts Purchase & Pennryile Area HomemakersDownsizing your home and transitioning into a smaller living space has become a recent trend for older adults. As people age, their larger homes require upkeep, continued maintenance, and expensive utility bills. Seniors may also face accessibility and self-care challenges stemming from multi-level living. By downsizing and minimizing, a smaller home can provide significant savings on property
Author: Joann Lianekhammy
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
In my role as an FCS Extension Specialist, I have been overseeing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center (RCPNC). National trends show that both the overall rural poverty rate and the rural child poverty rate have been higher than their urban poverty rate counterparts over the past thirty plus years. Research has found worse outcomes in terms of nutrition, activity, and obesity for children living in rural areas compared to children liv
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
About 1.7 million toaster ovens are sold in the United States each year. Twenty-seven percent of households us it only for toasting foods (Energy Star Market Industry Scoping Report: Toaster Ovens, November 2011). Toady’s toaster ovens have capability beyond toasting and use one-half to one-third less energy than conventional ovens. Additionally, smaller yield recipes may be more efficiently prepared in a toaster oven. Individuals who understand the advantages of toaster ovens may find the
Author: W Wilson
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
A young man sat in the back of the bus heading home on Friday evening. He opened a bag of food and began to eat everything in it that he could. The bus driver alertly noticed and questioned the young man about his actions. The answer was that the bag was food from the backpack program and he wanted to eat before someone took it away from him. It is because of youth like this from struggling homes that teachers and family resource center directors are out during the summer vac
Author: Alexander Elswick
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
The state of Kentucky, like the rest of the nation, has been scourged by the opioid epidemic. Overdose fatalities have risen steadily for a decade to over 1,000 overdose deaths per year in the Commonwealth. Drug overdose has surpassed vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in Kentucky. Nationally, Kentucky ranks third in overdose fatalities per capita. And while the overdose fatalities are disturbing, they only paint a narrow picture of the opioid epid
