Extension
It Starts With Us
Family Resource Management
Enhance Life Skills and Build Consumer Awareness
Congleton, Comer
Financial Education - General
Food Preparation and Preservation
Faithful Families
Promote positive personal finance behaviors prepares Kentuckians for any future economic shift. The United States has been in an extremely long period of economic expansion; however, expansions are cyclical, meaning growth is eventually followed by recession. Securing financial stability for Kentuckians will help families thrive no matter the economic outlook. Financial stability is achieved when families are able to secure and manage resources needed to supply food, clothing, and shelter. Through increased financial knowledge, families may be able to make wise financial decisions, increase buying power, avoid overextended credit, develop savings habits, and manage risks.
Kentucky consistently lags behind other areas of the United States in household income indicators, including personal income, population living below the poverty line, unemployment and revolving debt loads. The median household income is $40,267 compared to the US median income of $51,017. According to SAIPE 2011 estimate, 21.3% of Montgomery County's population is living in poverty and 31.6% of children under 18 are in poverty.
As we progress in to the 21st century a number of factors have gained prevalence within family and consumer sciences driven by the increase of online and mobile-shopping, the rise of video-based at home tutorials, and the shifting family structures as evident by 17% of stay-at-home parents being fathers. The ever-changing landscape of the family and the consumer, highlights the need for a responsive and innovative program that provides the basic needs that all families have as they navigate lives many challenges. 4-H seeks to meet these needs through working with youth and families in a variety of situations to increase their consumer awareness, financial management, nutrition, culinary arts, textiles, housing, and human development. In the 2019 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Montgomery County Report, among the top three youth and family issues were the need for youth life skills training and better youth and adult career readiness.
- Better family money management skills, such as reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning.
- More effective employees and community leaders.
- Improved financial capability for Kentuckians, results in better quality of life and stronger families.
•Number of clientele reporting improved family financial stability and economic well-being.
•Increase the number of clientele reporting improved privacy security measures and reduction in reports of financial fraudulent matters across the state.
•Individuals and families are increasing their income as well as maximizing income resources consumption.
•Improve the quality of life for Kentuckians resulting in stronger families.
4-H youth to:
• Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members
• Gain and maintain employment through life skill development
• Contribute to a safe and healthy home and community.
- Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting in increased savings or investments.
- Adopt financial planning strategies for short-, mid-, and long-term goals
Adopt short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
•Adopt privacy protection measures; annual, semi-annual, or quarterly credit-checking practices; and better recognition of fraudulent attempts from outside sources.
•Improve employability through practical living skills and continued education practices.
•Demonstrate practical living skills related to economic or enterprise development, as well as seeking to ascertain advance education credentials.
•Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting in increased savings or investments.
4-H youth to:
- Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
- Project a positive image and self-confidence
- Practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
- Practice healthy eating choices
- Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
- Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
- Increased knowledge and skills related to managing financial resources, including savings, credit, and financial planning.
- Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and aspirations, to improve employability through work and practical living skills and continuing education practices.
- Increase financial literacy (knowledge and skills) related to savings and investments.
•Youth and adults show increased knowledge/skills in managing financial/ non-financial resources.
•Participants increase understanding of their consumer rights and privacy protection measures.
•Change knowledge, opinions, skills and attitudes to improve employability through practical living skills and continued education practices.
•Increase financial literacy related to savings and investments.
4-H youths:
- Gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Sciences projects and programs
- Understand the decision-making process
- Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
- Learn to read and follow instructions
Outcome: Increased awareness of sound financial behaviors
Indicator(s): Number of individuals who implemented at least one
strategy to reduce expenses or manage money
Number of individuals who made a sound financial decision
(regarding credit, budgeting, savings, and/or debt)
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Outcome: Increase knowledge and skills related to
managing financial resources
Indicator: Number of individuals reporting increased levels of
understanding in the area: confidence in handling money issues
or specific financial matters
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Outcome: Increase knowledge and skills related to
estate planning
Indicator: Number of individuals who took action toward
implementing at least one estate planning strategy in regard to the subject matter presented
Method: Retroactive pre-post
Timeline: Following financial education workshops
Initial Outcome: Montgomery County participants will gain knowledge and increase their skills related to money management.
Indicator: Total number of program participants reached through different learning opportunities that gain knowledge about effective money management.
Method: Pre & Post Evaluations
Timeline: Before & after programs & events
Intermediate Outcome: Montgomery County participants will adopt short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
Indicator: The number of program participants that report a change in their financial behaviors.
Method: Surveys, observations, follow-up evaluations 3 months after programs
Timeline: FY 2023-24
Long-term Outcome: Participants will improve their family financial stability and economic well-being.
Indicator: The number of participants that demonstrate a positive change regarding their financial health.
Method: Pre and post tests, personal testimonies, observations & surveys
Timeline: On-going, Follow-up evaluations conducted after a 6 month period and beyond the program.
4-H evaluation:
- Outcome to be Evaluated
- Youth who engage in FCS project activities and learning experiences
- Indicator of Success for Outcome
- Youth complete a FCS Project-related activities and learning experiences
- Method of Evaluation
- 4-H Common Measures survey questions
Audience: Adults, young adults, and teens
Project or Activity: Money Habitudes Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Money Habitudes
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources,
Money Habitudes cards
Date: June - July
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Estate Planning Workshop
Content or Curriculum: Estate Planning
Inputs: FCS Specialist (family finance and resource
management), curriculum publications and resources, and local
partners such as an attorney, CPA and/or financial planner
Date: June - July
Audience: Adults, young adults, and teens
Project or Activity: Credit Education
Content or Curriculum: Good Credit Game
Inputs: FCS Agent, curriculum publications and resources,
Good Credit Game set
Date: June - July
Project or Activity: Financial Education
Content or Curriculum: Real Skills for Everyday Life
Inputs: FCS Agents
Date: June - July
Audience: Youth, preschool through grade 12,Low Income/Low Literacy adults, College Students, General Public, Young adults, Organizations, Community partners, Businesses, Parents, grandparents, Headstart parents & staff, & community members.
Project or Activity: Money Management
Content or Curriculum: CES MITT Resources & Publications
Inputs:
•Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, and volunteers
•Kentucky CES publications and resources including:
-Managing in Tough Times (MITT )Initiative
-MoneyWi$e website
-Ky. High School Financial Planning Program (KHSFPP) website
-Community and Economic Development in Kentucky (CEDIK) Initiative
•eXtension resources
•Family Development & Management (FDM)
•Local, state and federal resources
-KY Attorney General’s Office
-KY Housing Authority
-Security and Exchange Commission (SEC)
-Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
-U.S. Census Bureau
-Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
-National Endowment for Financial Management
-National Consumer League
•Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)
•Jump Start Coalition
•Non-profit organizations (e.g. AARP, United Way, faith-based organizations)
Date: FY 2023-24
Learning Opportunities for 4-H youth:
- Consumer & Financial Ed.
- Curriculum: 4-H Build a Million, Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future, Consumer Savvy, It’s Your reality
- 4-H Family Life
- Curriculum: Babysitting Basics, Fathers Reading Every Day
- 4-H Fashion, Grooming & Image
- 4-H Food Preparation & Nutrition
- Curriculum: Super Star Chef, Teen Cuisine, 4-H Cooking, Jump into Food and Fitness, Put it Up, International Foods, Exploring MyPlate, Wellness in Kentucky, What’s on Your plate,
- 4-H Home Environment
- Curriculum: Manners in the real world, Exploring your home, Living with others, where I live, in my home, Home energy detective
- 4-H Needlework & 4-H Sewing
- Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H Needlework Notebook; Style Engineers; Keeping 4-H in Stitches: KY 4-H Sewing Project Notebook; Up Cycle It; 4-H STEAM Clothing
- 4-H Workforce Preparation & Career Exploration
- Curriculum: Open Your Eyes to the World of Work, World of Work: Scope it Out, Jump Start for Job Seekers
Date: FY' 2023-24
Author: Charles Comer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
The career field of culinary arts in Kentucky is one that is rapidly expanding in part because of the continued growth of tourism within the state. Over the next five years, the career growth outlook is between 25-30%. This is about 18,000 openings each year for the rest of the decade (US Department of Labor). As a result, young people with a passion for the culinary arts can reliably look forward to career stability and advancement within the state. The Culinary Challenge is positioned to prepa
Author: Sarah Congleton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In 2023, the Cooperative Extension Service noticed an increased curiosity community wide regarding Homesteading, specifically bread making. There are a lot of resources available online that pertain to bread making, however not many are researched based. In order to address this growing concern, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent offered a bread making class for beginner bakers. The class addressed history of baking, necessary baking tools, flour proteins, gluten/leaveners, and baking t
Author: Sarah Congleton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Many children in America are tasked with making their own meals and snacks in today’s busy society, therefore most likely consuming foods and that are easy to grab and go or to microwave. Additionally, American as a whole battle’s childhood obesity; 38% of Kentucky children are overweight or obese according to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. To help with this epidemic locally, the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program offered a two-day cooking camp called Su
