Extension
It Starts With Us
Achieving financial stability in homes and community
Financial stability
Brandy Calvert, Rebecca Miller, Stacy White
Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Small Steps to Health & Wealth
Managing in Tough Times
Farm Management
The consequences of the recent recession and the extended period of slow economic growth which followed, encouraged families, youth, and farmers to become more aware of their financial situation. Bell County consistently lags behind in key household economic indicators, including: personal income, population living below the poverty line, unemployment, and revolving debt. It is important to acknowledge the impact of current economic conditions on individual and family financial management and how it effects the community. The goal of this program plan is to help Bell Countians understand and respond to changing economic conditions, while promoting healthy financial behaviors across the lifespan.
Maximize or extend resources to maintain or increase financial stability in individuals, families and farmers.
Bell Countians will achieve financial literacy, stability and economic well-being through practices learned at Extension programs.
Clientele will improve quality of life using knowledge obtained at Extension programs resulting in stronger families and communities.
Bell County families, farmers and individuals will adopt one or more short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
Practice one or more resource management behavior(s) resulting in increased savings or investments.
Apply practical living skills to advance education or employability.
Examine personal and financial stability on a regular basis (at least annually).
Teenagers and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to managing available financial and non-financial resources.
Teens and adults will simulate life situations to recognize importance of budgeting, education, and employability skills.
Participants will identify short, medium and long term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability.
Participants will see the value of practicing frugality, will learn cost-effective meal planning and will take steps toward securing their money.
Initial Outcome: Participants will identify short, medium and long term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability.
Indicator: All participants will identify ways to save and budget money.
Method: Online assessments, evaluations, verbal evaluation
Timeline: immediate
Intermediate Outcome: Bell County families, farmers and individuals will adopt one or more short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
Indicator: Clientele will prepare a budget and use skills and knowledge obtained to better financial situation.
Method: Follow up survey, online assessment
Timeline: 6 months- 1 year
Long-term Outcome: Bell Countians will achieve financial literacy, stability and economic well-being through practices learned at Extension programs.
Indicator: Clientele will report an increase in savings and financial gain.
Method: Follow up survey, discussions
Timeline: 2-4 years
Audience: Youth, middle school age
Project or Activity: 4-H Dollars & Sense
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Dollars and Sense curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Curriculum, Libraries, Volunteers, Family Resource Centers, Teachers
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: Youth, High School age
Project or Activity: 4-H Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Reality Store curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Curriculum, Libraries, Volunteers, Family Resource Centers, Teachers, Agents
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: General public
Project or Activity: Small Steps to Health and Wealth
Content or Curriculum: Small Steps to Health and Wealth FCS Curriculum
Inputs: FCS Curriculum, Specialists, Agents, Online assessment
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: General Public, homemakers
Project or Activity: Stretching your Holiday Dollar
Content or Curriculum: UK publications
Inputs: UK publications, Agents
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: Adults and families
Project or Activity: Homesteading 101
Content or Curriculum: UK publications, USDA publications
Inputs: Agents, Specialists, community partners
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: General public
Project or Activity: Managing in Tough Times (MITT)
Content or Curriculum: Managing in Tough Times (MITT)
Inputs: MITT publications, curriculum, website, agents, newsletters
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: beef producers
Project or Activity: East Kentucky Beef Integrated Resource Management
Content or Curriculum: UK Pubs
Inputs: specialist, agents, KY Beef Network
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: farmers
Project or Activity: Commercial Vegetable Production
Content or Curriculum: UK Pubs
Inputs: agents, specialists, farm service agency, Soil Conservation
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: farmers, general public
Project or Activity: Shared Equipment Use Program
Content or Curriculum: UK pubs
Inputs: agents, ag council, farm bureau , bell county fiscal court, KY Ag Develpoment Board
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: farmers
Project or Activity: Seasonal High Tunnel Project
Content or Curriculum: UK Pubs
Inputs: soil conservation, specialist, agents
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: beef producers
Project or Activity: Cumberland Gap Beef Conference
Content or Curriculum: publications from UK, UT, LMU, Virgina Tech
Inputs: agents, specialist, universities, beef industry
Date: 2017-2020
Author: Rebecca Miller
Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)
With the holidays being a time when most people find themselves in debt, over spending on gifts, food, and entertainment, the Bell County Cooperative Extension Service conducted a workshop on “Surviving the Holiday Season”. Extension council members and the Family and Consumer Science Advisory Council asked for this program to be implemented to help families alleviate the financial stress and pressures that come with the holiday season. 6
Author: Stacy White
Major Program: Commercial Horticulture
Sugarcane aphid is a new pest of sorghum in the U.S.; it was first reported in Texas in 2013 and reached Fulton County, Kentucky in 2015. This aphid builds up rapidly on sorghum and can kill plants through removal of plant sap with its piercing-sucking mouthparts. Their numbers can double every 1 1/2 days. In late summer of 2017 sweet sorghum growers in Bell County realized there was a problem. Their cane fields were turning purple and dying. After field visits the ANR a
