Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2020Jul 1, 2019 - Jun 30, 2020





Gardening Skills Development with the Bullitt County Substance Abuse Program

Author: Lorilee Kunze

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Substance abuse, particularly the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs along with heroin and fentanyl, remains one of the most critical public health and safety issues facing Kentucky. For years, the annual number of Kentuckians who died from drug overdoses steadily climbed to a peak of more than 1,400 in 2017, exacting a disastrous toll on families, communities, social services and economic growth. Drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation is essential to Kentucky. The SAP (Substance Abuse

Full Story

Progressive by Nature Safety by Design

Author: Bonita Jolly

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

            On October 8, 2019 in Campbell County in Eastern KY, an ATV accident claimed the life of its 17 year old driver.  The 17 year old and 18 year old passenger were going up a steep embankment when the ATV flipped throwing them both.  The driver hit his head and the ATV rolled on top of him.  Neither were wearing helmets.  The young man killed was the vice president of his junior class, an FFA officer and skeet team member.  &nb

Full Story

Senior Expo

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 eight years to promote a program called the “Senior Expo”. This event was created to bring information to our seniors

Full Story

Therapy Gardens at Sky Hope Rehabilitation Center

Author: Bethany Wilson

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

In Pulaski County's 2018 Community Assessment, substance abuse treatment ranked as important to very important to the 609 respondents. 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 stami

Full Story

Safety Day

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Often times, especially regarding children, we question whether accidents could have been prevented or not.  A child’s natural curiosity to explore and learn can make them vulnerable to avoidable outcomes. In order to educate children on these important topics, Safety Day 2019 was held.  The Bracken County Extension Office partnered with the Bracken County Conservation District and the Bracken County FFA to offer a Safety Day to local 5th graders in Bracken County. Other partners

Full Story

Home Energy Workshop for Glasgow Residents Encourages Energy and Money Savings

Author: LaToya Drake

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Home Energy Workshop for Glasgow Residents Encourages Energy and Money Savings

23% of Barren County residents are living in poverty compared to 18% statewide. The county seat, Glasgow, a town of about 14,000, has been rated the poorest town in Kentucky for the second year in a row in 2019. Some 29% of Glasgow residents are living below the poverty line. They are struggling with low incomes and ever-increasing bills, utilities, and family responsibilities. To provide strategies to Glasgow residents to encourage decreased energy consumption in an effort to save money an

Full Story

LED Lighting

Author: Jill Harris

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Lighting affects everyone in the household, from young children to elderly and could include people who are visually impaired or simply a person who wishes to be more environmentally friendly. Home lighting impacts the economics of the household as well comfort, aesthetics, and safety. Issues such as these provide a great opportunity for teamwork among Extension Agents. Since LED Lighting is the newest type of lighting on the market, the opportunity presented itself to educate clientele who are

Full Story

LED Lighting Education for Homemakers

Author: Curtis Judy

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Homemakers Clubs in the Pennyrile Extension Area requested a lesson on LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting for this program year; and Todd County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Jill Harris was assigned to teach the lesson.  Because there is not a lot of readily available, in-depth information on LED bulbs, Ms. Harris decided to utilize a set of LED educational materials that I had developed for a local LED lighting class in 2017.  In preparation for Ms. Harris’s classes, I re

Full Story

Couch Potato Challenge

Author: Jordan Crain

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Green County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences offered a newsletter-based walking program designed for individuals who have not previously been physically active or who have not been physically active in a long time. There were 11 participants. 100 percent of participants increased the amount of walking that they did on a weekly basis. 100 percent of participants examined ways to set goals for walking. A follow-up evaluation revealed that 100 percent of participants are still enga

Full Story

Food Safety Mystery Dinner

Author: Kathy Byrnes

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases each year in the United States. The most common “cause” of foodborne illness is attributed to people - mishandling food, abusing the time/temperature rule, not washing their hands, and engaging in other behaviors that put themselves and others at risk. The University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University Family and Consumer Sciences

Full Story

Pumpkin Days

Author: Laken Campbell

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Pumpkin Day Success StoryChildren living in Breathitt and surrounding counties served by UK’s Robinson Center (RCARS) rank at the absolute bottom of the Robert Woods Johnson County Health Rankings for overall health outcomes. (Breathitt #120, Wolfe #119, Owsley #118, Leslie #117, Perry #116, Lee #113 2018 data). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list childhood obesity as a contributing factor to many health issues. The CDC states that one way to combat childhood obesity is to

Full Story

Program To Go

Author: Sarah Congleton

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Program To Go

People are facing numerous challenges because the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across Kentucky so quickly. The Governor has restricted access to various locations throughout Kentucky that are labeled nonessential and has issued a stay at home order. The result of the stay at home order means that people have shuffled their schedules and daily tasks immensely and are now either working remotely or not working at all. As weeks pass, one of the challenges that people are seeing is how to entertain

Full Story

Sewing and Quilting gives confidence and success!

Author: Ruth Chowning

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

In today’s technologically advanced society, basic life skills such as sewing has become a lost art.  “Sewing is a discipline that helps develop self-esteem, confidence, focus, patience, fine motor skills, problem solving, process thinking and visualization.  Additionally, sewing encourages creative ability and personalization of household items.  The Bullitt County Cooperative Extension Service Family & Consumer Science Agent presented 5 hands-on sewing programs i

Full Story

Creating Young Leaders in Recycling

Author: Kenna Knight

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Recycling Pendleton County is a rural area that is preparing youth to be leaders today.  Fifth grade students at Southern Elementary struggled when their school was not practicing what was being taught.  The students described the benefits to recycling asReduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incineratorsConserves natural resources such as timber, water and mineralsIncreases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materialsPrevents pollution by reducing the ne

Full Story

UK Cooperative Extension providing programs during difficult times

Author: Amanda Dame

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

During the COVID 19 Pandemic organizations, business and schools across Kentucky closed or provided limited services. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Offices were also closed during this time. To continue to provide educational resources and learning opportunities to clients UK Family and Consumer Sciences Extension hosted online information sessions on both Zoom and Facebook. Sessions were broadcast through the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Facebook page,

Full Story

Coronavirus Response : Personal Action Promotes Public Health in Barren County

Author: LaToya Drake

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Coronavirus Response : Personal Action Promotes Public Health in Barren County

Officials announced the first cases of coronavirus in Kentucky on Friday, March 6th, 2020. As of Tuesday, May 12th, 2020, there were 6853 confirmed cases statewide; on this same May date, there were 30 confirmed cases in Barren County. People who experience traumatic events and hard times, like a pandemic, may be able to better cope with a realistic plan of action.  To provide actionable steps for disease prevention to South Central Kentuckians the FCS Agent facilitated programming eff

Full Story

Face Shield Masks

Author: Christy Stearns

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service empowers communities to respond to challenges they face and reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic has been no different. One of the first challenges identified was that health care facilities throughout the state did not have enough personal protective equipment for frontline workers to do their jobs during the pandemic. Cooperative Extension staff collaborated with Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) across the state to help address the lac

Full Story

Extension Programs to Go

Author: Jennifer Bridge

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Extension Programs to Go

Covid-19 safety measures brought a halt to traditional FCS programming in Meade County.  However, the need for information and nonbiased resources was greater than ever.  In addition to answering phone calls on topics such as food safety and sanitation, FCS created weekly Extension Programs to Go.  Each week a new topic was introduced with packets being placed in the foyer area of the Extension office.  Topics included Green Cleaning, 30 Day meal plans, the Farmers' Marke

Full Story

Partnerships Sustaining Nutrition

Author: Vicki Boggs

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Partnerships Sustaining Nutrition Leslie County Extension has many partnerships.  Partnering with Feeding Leslie County Youth continues to impact health and nutritional needs.  During early Spring 2020, COVID-19 Pandemic swept Kentucky including Leslie County.   Healthy at home being an important measure to prevent spread of this novel virus required outreach to families while schools were closed. Data from Leslie County Schools show that every child receives free lunch durin

Full Story

Extension Take-Out Bags

Author: Deborah Messenger

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, staff at the Cumberland County Extension Office wondered how they were going to reach clientele. After seeing and hearing about other counties offering to-go bags with all sorts of activities in them, the Family and Consumer Science and Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents along with the SNAP-ED assistant decided to give them a try. The first bags (20) were prepared on March 30th for no contact pick up on the office porch. Each week since, the staff have prepa

Full Story

Quilting with a Recovery Group

Author: Glenna Wooten

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

A local newly opened Recovery Center contacted the Perry County Family and Consumer Sciences agent about teaching their clients to sew.  This request came from the clients themselves and they wanted to make a quilt.  The director felt that would be a good project to teach teamwork and they would eventually have a quilt that they could auction off to provide additional funding for future programming.  The clients and director had very little sewing experience and were only able to

Full Story

Educational Kits during a Pandemic

Author: Amanda Hardy

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

With a pandemic on our hands, finding ways to reach our clientele has taken some planning and preparing.   While remote working the FCS agent and FCS assistant in Henderson County decided to offer packaged program kits weekly.   Letting individuals know about the program through Facebook post and local radio spots we have gone through over 150 bags each week. The first program was the Get Fit Kentucky where individuals received bands, water bottles and information on the walking challe

Full Story

Meeting Community Needs in COVID-19 Pandemic

Author: Christina A. Martin

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Meeting Community Needs in COVID-19 Pandemic

The Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service empowers communities to respond to challenges.  The COVID-19 pandemic brought a plethora of challenges to many people in the state including the healthcare system.  Healthcare facilities did not have sufficient personal protective equipment to meet the demands that the virus might bring to the front-line workers.  Extension agents from Russell, Clinton, Casey, Cumberland, Pulaski, and Wayne Counties collaborated with the Kentucky Communit

Full Story

Indoor Pest Control and COVID-19

Author: Zachary DeVries

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

COVID-19 has caused unparalleled harm and disruption, the likes of which our society has never seen.  To assist Kentuckians and the pest control industry, I worked to produce a set of recommendations for both the public and pest control operators to ensure we continue to manage pests in and around homes, but we also take the necessary steps to ensure people remain safe and healthy.  This work was featured on the UKy website, the National Pest Management Association website. and several

Full Story

Addiction Education: Rural Opioid Technical Assistance

Author: Alexander Elswick

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

In 2019 and in the midst of an opioid epidemic, the state of Kentucky saw a glimmer of hope.  For more than a decade, annual overdoses and overdose deaths had increased every single year.  But in 2019, the Commonwealth reported approximately 15% less overdoses than the previous year.  This reduction roughly equates to 233 lives saved.              Part of the state’s success is owed to the Cooperative Extension Service’s new initiativ

Full Story

Preparing For Emergencies: Have A Plan

Author: Linda Brown-Price

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Preparing For Emergencies: Have A Plan

Often there is little or no warning when an emergency is going to occur. Planning can help in getting through these situations. Having a plan and knowing what to do will help to prevent panic, fear, and physical harm. An emergency plan will also help to ensure safety for all citizens. Addressing this issue, a class on” Are you Ready for an Emergency” was presented to Kenton County residents. The class topics included identifying weather related emergencies, preparing a family pl

Full Story

District 5 Face Shield Assembly

Author: Jonathan Oakes

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service empowers communities to respond to challenges they face and reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic has been no different. One of the first challenges identified was that health care facilities throughout the state did not have enough personal protective equipment for frontline workers to do their jobs during the pandemic. Cooperative Extension staff collaborated with Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) across the state to help address the lac

Full Story

Farm and Home Safety

Author: Jonathan Oakes

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The Russell County landscape is home to an assortment of terrains.  The county is home to large amounts of farmland, woodlands, streams, rivers and a large lake.  Russell County Extension Office held its annual Progressive Farm Safety Day in conjunction with the Progressive Ag Foundation and hosted approximately 200, 3rd grade students from the county.  The farm safety day was also attended by approximately 40 teachers, and community volunteers to help make the day a success.This

Full Story

Preparing Extension Staff to Implement Botvin Life Skills Training Program

Author: Katherine Jury

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

According to 2018 data collected by the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service Statewide Community Assessment, substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery were prioritized as an immediate issue that Cooperative Extension should address in over 70% of Kentucky counties.  Substance use prevention programming is critical to prevention, delayed onset, and/or early identification of substance use. However, evidence-based programs and policies have not been widely implem

Full Story

Botvin Life Skills Training Implementation with Students

Author: Katherine Jury

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The University of Kentucky Center on Drug and Alcohol Research states that the neurodevelopment of the brain renders the adolescent brain more vulnerable to addiction than the adult brain.  The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescent’s self-report illicit drug use in the past month.  Preventing illicit substance use among adolescents in Kentucky is a public health priority. However, evidence-based programs and policies have not been wid

Full Story

Kenton County Celebrates Earth Day

Author: Daniel Allen

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

50th Annual Earth Day Celebrated in Kenton CountyDuring the COVID19 pandemic it has become necessary for extension offices to be resourceful and creative when it comes to program delivery.  Traditionally Kenton County offers a seed giveaway and  youth programs at the local libraries centered around the Earth Day celebration. For 2020 we chose to do two Brown Bag Programs.  Our first program began in late March with Seed Grab Bags placed outside of both Extension buildings.  I

Full Story

Camp Kesem

Author: Kerri Ashurst

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Camp Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. They are the largest national organization dedicated to this unique population. Currently there are more than 100 Kesem chapters in 40 states led by more than 5,000 college student leaders. Dr. Kerri Ashurst serves as the UK Chapter Student Advisor for Camp Kesem, formed in late 2016. Camp Kesem KY had their first camp in July 2017 with 19 chi

Full Story

Children Youth and Families at Risk Professional Development and Technical Assistance

Author: Kerri Ashurst

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Dr. Ashurst became a Federal Coach for USDA's Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Professional Development and Technical Assistance (PDTA) Center as of January 2019. This is a multi-state subcontract with the University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University as the national leads. During the reporting period, she was assigned to oversee grants in New York (2), Vermont (2), West Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey, and the Virgin Islands. Ashurst has had monthly Zoom meetings with

Full Story

Brown Bag Program Delivers Useful and Timely Info to Barren County Families

Author: LaToya Drake

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Brown Bag Program Delivers Useful and Timely  Info to Barren County Families

The Barren County Brown Bag program is a "grab and go" educational opportunity available for pick up in the box outside of the Extension Office. Barren County residents are encouraged to pick up regular packets featuring useful and relevant farm and family information. This program was initiated to provide continued programming and #healthyathome activities for families during the coronavirus quarantine. The self-serve program covers topics and provides resources from all program areas

Full Story

Using Technology to Reach Families during the Pandemic

Author: Vicki Wynn

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The use of social media and videos has become a very important educational tool, especially throughout the coronavirus pandemic. According to Cisco, the worldwide leader in IT, by 2022, videos will make up 82 percent of internet traffic.When face-to-face social interaction came to a screeching halt in March 2020, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Sciences administrators, specialists, agents and staff turned to video technology to stay connected with stakeholders

Full Story

Extension Responds To Covid 19

Author: Catherine Jansen

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Carroll County Extension Efforts During COVID-19The Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, has made a significant impact across Kentucky, the United States, and the world.  The first case in Kentucky was confirmed on March 6.  As social distancing recommendations were put into place, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service quickly transitioned to alternative educational delivery methods to support Kentuckians through a very fluid situation.  All agents and staff of the Carroll County Coo

Full Story

Programs on the Go

Author: Alethea Price

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The COVID pandemic caused an abrupt change to all programming for Extension. Meetings, programs, and events were cancelled. Outreach still needed to be completed.Instead of offering programs in person, the FCS Agent prepared kits for people to be able to safely stop by the office to pick up. Those programs could include activities, publications and incentive items. The FCS Agent created several varieties of these programs on the go to meet the needs of Boyle County residents staying safe at home

Full Story

Virtual Cleaning: the class must go on!

Author: Ronda Rex

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

During the onset of COVID-19, the Cooperative Extension Service worked hard to explore new ways to adapt in unusual circumstances and bring our community together.  Ronda Rex had the opportunity of working with her colleagues to conduct the “Cleaning Matters” virtual learning class via Zoom with agents Kathy Byrnes, Kenton County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and Diane Mason, Boone County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent. The class was Diane Mason’s idea and was pla

Full Story

Program to Go - Green Cleaning

Author: Karen Denniston

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Program to Go - Green Cleaning

Green cleaning uses products with ingredients that are better for both people and the environment.  Many “Green Cleaning” products can be made using ingredients that many have in their homes.  During the COVID-19 pandemic cleaning has become even more important but cleaning products have become more difficult to find in the local stores.  These factors were the reasoning behind a Program to Go entitled “Cleaning and Disinfecting the Home”.  The Program

Full Story

Clean and Healthy Homes

Author: Rachel Hance

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Everyone is exposed to some type of indoor air pollution at some point in time in their lives.  According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, research indicates that people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors resulting in, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoor than outdoors.To bring light to this need for indoor air quality education, the Logan County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent taught the

Full Story

Extension To Go

Author: Jordan Crain

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

In response to COVID-19, Extension To Go bags were started to assure that community members could still be active and engaged in Extension Programming from the comfort of their home. The Extension To Go bags have been offered to any Green County resident wishing to participate. Topics of Extension To Go bags included: Life Story, Managing Stress, Physical Activity, Recipe Kits, Meal Planning, Green Cleaning, Grill Safety, Nature Walks and Sun Safety to name a few. Extension To Go bags were well

Full Story

Tree Seedling Giveaway

Author: Julia Wilson

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

For many years the Edmonson County Soil Conservation Office has given away hundreds of tree seedlings to Edmonson County Residents. Current events caused the 2020 tree seedling giveaway to be canceled. The Edmonson County FCS Agent and ANR Agent partnered with the Soil Conservation for a tree seedling giveaway in a different way in May 2020. The FCS Agent developed an online event where Edmonson County residents could request a bundle of tree seedlings. The bundle included Red Bud, White Oak, Hi

Full Story

Cell Phone Germs

Author: Julia Wilson

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Cell Phone Germs

In 2020 the Edmonson County School Systems had already closed multiple days for illness. The Family Resource Center reached out to the Edmonson County Family and Consumer Sciences Agents to teach a lesson about the importance of hand washing.The FCS agent worked with 200 students in the middle and high school in February and March of 2020. An initial lesson was on the importance of proper hand washing utilizing glow germ to show students spots they missed when  they washed their hands. Afte

Full Story

Be Safe, Be Well/Overdose Response Training

Author: Tamera Magee

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

In 2015, 25.5% of Kentuckians reported using the Emergency Department in the past year (State Health Access Data Assistance, 2017.)   In 2018 there were 2.1 million Emergency Department Encounters in Kentucky. (Source: Kentucky Emergency Department Encounter Claims) https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/ohda/Documents/2018Emergency.pdf. Nearly half of all US medical care is delivered by emergency departments, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (U

Full Story

Form Fitting Cloth Mask Making

Author: Lyndall Harned

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

I was contacted by the local hospital about the Homemakers making cloth mask for them since, at that time, PPE was next to impossible to find to purchase. So I contacted our two Master Clothing Volunteers, one of which aslo happened to be our county Homemaker president. They rallied the troops and got several other ladies to volunteer to ,ake the masks. KDMC, the health care center, paid for the materials, which the ag and hort agent ordered and picked up. The material was made into packets that

Full Story

Healthy at Home Brown Bag Projects

Author: Shonda Johnston

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

During the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020, our country (and local communities) experienced closures and restrictions like never before. Offices closed and in-person programming ceased. In an effort to increase extension visibility in the community of Clark County and offer educational outreach during the “Healthy at Home” request of Kentuckians; the Clark County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent along with the 4-H Youth Development Agent teamed up to offer grab-and-go st

Full Story

Grab and Go

Author: Tracy Cowles

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Covid 19“Grab Bag” programs during the Covid 19 became the new way of teaching and reaching our clientele.The Family & Consumer Science Agent, Nutrition Education Program Assistant, and the 4-H Youth Development Agent, partnered to provide 100-110 garden kits that included several SNAP recipes, Plate It Up recipes and material along with excepts from ID 128 as well as information on other publications about gardening. Teaching others were their food comes from, how to grow, and t

Full Story

COVID-19

Author: Douglas Shepherd

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the need for massive amounts personal protective equipment as well as certain other medical needs, and as a result of our large, new facility; agent was contacted by local EMS director as well as Lincoln Trail Area Health Department about the possibility of our office serving as a drop point for all FEMA supplies coming into this eight county area.  We agreed and  our Extension leadership requested and received a donated forklift from local commercial

Full Story

Programs on the Go

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, families and individuals were encouraged to stay Healthy At Home. This meant that traditional Extension programming had to change. In an effort to still reach clientele and provide them with research based information and hands on activities to support that information and encourage a better understanding of it for those who may not be visual learners, the Mason County FCS Agent and program assistant worked together to provide different Programs On The Go to the c

Full Story

Simplify Your Life

Author: Joan Bowling

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

The National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home. The National Association of Professional Organizers reports we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. 23 percent of adults say they pay bills late (and incur fees) because they lose them. 1 in 11 American households rent a self-storage space and spend over $1000 a year in rent. A 2008 survey of 400 consumers nationwide, 27 percent said they feel disorganiz

Full Story

Reaching Out During COVID-19

Author: Margie Hernandez

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Since the start of the coronavirus quarantine in early March 2020, strict restrictions on meetings with clientele were put into practice and therefore, no face-to-face meeting were allowed. As a way of being able to reach out, staying connected and providing continued programming, Nutrition Information Packets were prepared and distributed to families in Pulaski county during the pandemic.The Pulaski County SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) assistant collaborated with other Ext

Full Story

Healthy GrandFamilies Program Access for LEP Audiences

Author: Jessica Marquez

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Issues: What is the situation? Who cares and why?The number of Grandparent-headed households (GrandFamilies) is rapidly growing. Low income and minorities are disproportionately represented and lack adequate access to community-based services and programs. Many grandparents are challenged with generational gaps when raising their grandchildren and may lack knowledge on how to address issues that are due to this.Response: What has been done? Summarize your program, project, or response to the iss

Full Story

Social Distancing Not a Problem

Author: Caroline Hughes

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

During the COVID-19 situation, everyone has tried to focus on the health of friends, family, colleagues while continuing to support their communities. While responding to community needs in new and unique ways, Extension outreach is evident in the impact we are making locally and area wide. Social distancing has created a challenge in finding new ways to meet the needs of our clientele, but sometimes a great way may be using a local resource that has been readily available all along in our area-

Full Story

Covid 19 - Grab 'n Go response Morgan Co. Cooperative Extension Service

Author: Nellie Buchanan

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Covid 19 - Grab 'n Go response Morgan Co. Cooperative Extension Service

     COVID-19 is a public health crisis for both physical and mental well-being.  According to David Weisenhorn, UK Senior Specialist for Parenting and Child Development, “the uncertainty around COVID-19 is even harder for children.” Morgan County Extension service aimed to support mental health among youth and families during this crisis while following CDC and social distancing guidelines. The goal of the 4-H, FCS & ANR program was to provide hands-on progra

Full Story

Grab N Go Bags

Author: Laken Campbell

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

Grab N Go Bags

During the time of the COVID 19 pandemic, schools went to online learning, offices closed, and businesses shut down. With everyone being quarantined at home, the Lee County Extension Office used this opportunity as a unique approach of programming. With a team effort from the office, each member played an important role in preparing our new programming method, Grab-N-Go bags. The items within the Grab-N-Go bags varies week to week. Each bag has its own theme and the items inside correspond

Full Story