Healthy Families
Family Health and Wellness
Linda Combs, Dora Centers, and Chad Conway
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Local Food Systems
Health
Active Living and Health Promotions General
With the unemployment rate in the county on the rise, community leaders through surveys, council meetings, and one-to-one face meetings have directed Extension programming to focus on areas dealing with the health and well-being of families. Children, who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets, are far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes, and drop out of high school. 27.5% of children live in poverty. Knott County’s population of seniors is 13.4%, a number that is expected to increase due to aging baby boomers. Nutrition Education programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars. Due to the increasing trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthful dietary decisions. Knott County ranks 117 out of 120 KY counties for poor health. Obesity and chronic diseases in Knott county were highlighted as a need in the 2019 needs assessment.
- Knott County families are able to:
- Care for the physical, mental health, and well-being of each individual over the long term
- Foster the optimal development of children and youth
- Practice parental leadership skills
- Embrace people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
- Access community resources when needed
- Decrease the number of individuals with chronic disease
- Decrease obesity
- Access to local foods in our community throughout the year
- Practice healthy food choices and food preparation
- Practice physical activity
- Access community agencies and resources when needed
- Plant, harvest and preserve produce
- Change behavior to reduce risk of falling
- Improve mental health
- Healthy aging
- Access to fresh produce at the local farmers market
- Intend to practice healthy lifestyle choices
- Intend to manage stress, self-care, improve communication skills
- Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
- Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety, and food resource management
- Increase healthy lifespan behaviors
- Understand age-related issues
- Practice daily physical activity
- Gaining knowledge and access to the local farmers market
Observation and the use of pre and post-test results
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Sharing Meals Together: A Guide to Smarter Potlucks
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Linda Combs
Date: September 2021
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Meal Kits: Are They Worth It
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Kayla Watts
Date: October 2021
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Plate it Up: KY Proud
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Vicki Boggs
Date: March 2022
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Pin Weaving
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Alyssa Cox
Date: April 2022
Audience: Families
Project or Activity: Nutrition/Food Classes
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-Going
Audience: Youth/Adults
Project or Activity: Managing Lifestyle Choices
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-Going
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Health Rocks
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Mentors, Teachers, Agents
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adults/Youth
Project or Activity: Knott County Farmers Market
Content or Curriculum: Extension Agents, Farmers Market Committee, FFA, Community Partners, and KDA
Inputs: KDA, Hindman Settlement School, and Extension Service
Date: March-October