Extension
It Starts With Us
Active Living and Health Promotion
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities
Fentress, Stillwell
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Aging-General
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Family and Consumer Science
With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthy and active lifestyle choices. CES agents are encouraged to reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities. Focusing on a foundation of overall direct health education to increase health literacy and ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. Including, creating spaces or opportunities for active living and health behaviors.
- Routinely meeting physical activity and dietary recommendations that promote health and wellness (e.g. 150 minutes a week of moderate activity and consuming recommended daily fruits and vegetables)
- Community environment promotes healthy behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play
- Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity
- Generate positive attitudes toward changing lifestyle choices to be more healthy
- Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods
- Improve self-efficacy in physical activity, movement, and active routes to destinations
- Decrease tobacco/ substance use
- Increase awareness about lifestyle choices and chronic disease (e.g. tobacco use, poor nutrition, & lack of physical activity)
- Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy practices
- Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. preparation techniques, safe food handling)
- Increase motivation to be active
- Increase awareness of accessible safe places for activity
Outcome: Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions
Method: Self-report surveys
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Physical Activity knowledge, skills, and competencies
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: knowledge and skills gained about the benefits of physical activity; adoption of physical activity practices; increase in physical activity levels
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Substance Use
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: gained knowledge of the resources that are available for substance use in the community as a result of Extension programming
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Chronic Disease Prevention
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicator (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved.
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Outcome: Availability / Access to healthy lifestyle choices
Indicator: Number of communities, health coalitions, or organizations who reported: implemented policy, system, and/or environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living
Method: Self-report survey
Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program
Audience: Communities
Project or Activity: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches
Content or Curriculum: Faithful Families, Health Coalitions, Story Walk, Shared Space Agreements, Trail Development, Active Community Toolkit, Be More Guide, resources for early care and education settings
Inputs: Volunteers, grant funds, faith-based organizations, community partners, key stakeholders, elected officials, Department of Transportation, Health Coalitions, Employee Health and Wellness, SNAP-Ed Toolkit
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Audience: Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Chronic Disease Prevention
Content or Curriculum: Publications, Health Bulletins, Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Fit Blue, Faithful Families, Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, WIN, Kick Kentucky Cancer, Health Partners, Bingocize, Master Health Volunteer, Keys to Embracing Aging
Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, Homemakers, Community Centers, etc.
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Project or Activity: Physical Activity
Content or Curriculum: Publications, Faithful Families, Story Walk, Master Health Volunteer, Shared Space Agreements, Health Coalitions, Be More, Fit Blue, WIN, Health Partners, Bingocize, Keys to Embracing Aging
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, health coalitions, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, FBOs, Homemakers, Community Centers
Date: Periodically each year
Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers
Project or Activity: Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Content or Curriculum: Master Health Volunteers, Health Bulletins, Monthly Leader Lessons
Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners
Date: Monthly
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Forces of Nature, promoting earth-friendly activities among youth
Content or Curriculum: Extension publications
Inputs: Extension agents and staff, Master Gardeners, Extension Homemakers, Hardin Co Solid Waste Recycling, Farmers Market
Date: Summer 2021
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
More than 165 individuals have pledged to walk and log their steps for the month of October. Second annual WALKtober hosted by the Hardin County FCS programs aims to encourage individuals to simply walk. There is no minimum goal for incentives, no set number anyone must reach. Individuals set their own goal when they sign up, whether it be a set number of steps, to walk a set number of days, or to improve mental, emotional, physical health, etc. Participants are encouraged throughout the mo
Author: Marla Stillwell
Major Program: Health
In an effort to recover lost funding during the year 2020 and part of 2021, the Hardin County 4-H Council planned an implemented their first ever 5K event entitled, Run for the Clover. Partnering with Central KY Race Management, the Run for the Clover 5K was promoted and marketed to members of the community to encourage an active, healthy lifestyle.____ runners registered and ran/walked the 3.1 mile course which was held at the Hardin County Fairgrounds. ____ 4-H youth and volunteers came
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Title of Success Story: “Impacts from Skip Covid-19 Programs and Community Collaborations within Hardin County” Our community is often times faced with various issues such as rising cost of transportation, housing, and food. In addition, the world is constantly dealing with the challenges of dealing with diseases breaking out all over the world. These issues have impacts on families that often times makes it much harder for them to provide necessary resources for the
Author: Amy Aldenderfer
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides eligible low-income seniors with redeemable vouchers for fresh, unprocessed local fruits, vegetables, hone, and herbs at approved Farmer’s Markets. The program helps improve nutrition for low-income seniors, by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The program also increases local farm sales and encourages individuals to shop at the local Farmers Market. The voucher system
Author: Amy Aldenderfer
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Gardener's Toolbox Series is a part of the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service’s horticulture classes to address a gardener's need for more information. The classes vary in their length and subject matter. This year topics included: Beginning Vegetable Gardening, Growing Culinary Herbs, Attracting Bird to the Backyard, Growing Flower Bouquets, How to Grow: Tomatoes, Knowing Your Veggie Pests, New Plants for a New Year, Propagating and Repotting Houseplants,
Author: Amy Aldenderfer
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The eight-year collaboration continues between the Hardin County Farmers’ Market, the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service and the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners. The Master Gardeners provide samples, recipes and information to the shoppers at the Hardin County Farmer’s Market once a month through the growing/selling season. The Master Gardeners prepare two recipes from the Kentucky Proud Plate It Up! Series. Then, pass out samples to the patrons of the Market, enco
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Guest speakers were welcomed back into Hardin County Schools in the winter of the 2021-2022 school year. Nutrition classes are one of the most common requests received by our schools, so classes were scheduled across multiple schools, and by many grades. Nutrition lessons were offered to every student at Lincoln Trail Elementary School. These classes are provided through the gym teacher, and reach every student- more than 650 students, over the course of the semester. The PE teacher then re
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
POP Club at the Hardin County Farmers’ Market returned for 2021, and again in 2022, after a year break due to COVID. In 2021, POP Club was able to occur 4 times, and saw more than 350 youth during those 4 sessions. 83% of youth tried a new fruit or vegetable, and 98% of the youth completed an agricultural related activity. More than $1,200 was given out in POP Bucks and therefore invested back into the Hardin County Farmers Market and our local vendors. This allowed youth in Hardin Co
