Extension
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Family & Consumer Sciences Education; Food Preparation, Preservation & Nutrition
Family & Consumer Sciences Education: Food Preparation, Preservation & Nutrition
Hagler, Klotz
Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Financial Education - General
Family Development General
Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Aging Community was one of the issues brought forward by Extension volunteers and survey participants of all ages. According to the latest census information almost 17% of the Nelson County population is 65 or over. In addition, Nelson County residents have expressed a want for programs relating to food preservation, nutrition, and preparation.
The Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association provides Nelson County Homemakers with a sense of belonging and inclusion. The programs provided to the Homemaker Membership include a variety of relatable topics based in research and include nutrition, health and safety topics. Moreover, monthly and special meetings encourage members to be socially connected and volunteer opportunities in schools, extension offices, and community centers drive are intended to drive personal purpose and growth.
Obesity, and lack of exercise all contribute to the poor health of Nelson County residents. Currently, Nelson County residents average 5% physically inactive days. Currently, 36% are considered obese according to the CEDIK 2022 Healthcare Community Profile. Over 8,000 residents reported having poor health. The goal of Promoting Positive Lifestyles and Tapping into Local Food Systems is to work with at-risk groups to begin incorporating healthy eating behavior and physical activity into their daily lives/routines, therefore reducing the risk of obesity and susceptibility to the diseases associated. In addition, it is a goal to utilize local food systems to not only provide more fruits and vegetables to citizens of Nelson County, but also to support community producers, stimulating the local food economy.
1.Decrease the number of overweight and obese residents within the community.
2.Increase community knowledge, skill and awareness of physical activity & financial security.
3.Improve overall family and community mental, physical and social/emotional wellness.
4.Increase fruit and vegetable residents consumption within the community.
1. Positive changes in knowledge, attitudes, skill or ability as they relate to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
2.Practice of physical activity & use of financial literacy tools and techniques, either personally, or within the family unit.
3.Recognition or behavior change in the realm of mental, emotional or social health & wellness; and/or mental health improvement.
4.Positive personal or family unit decision-making change when considering fruit and vegetable consumption.
1.Awareness of community-wide overweight and obesity, and where to access resources to encourage a healthier community.
2.Knowledge of physical activity & financial literacy opportunities.
3.Awareness of mental, social or emotional health and possible resources to improve each, personally and/or as a family unit.
4.Awareness of access to more fruits and vegetables, knowledge of ways to prepare them
Initial Outcome: Increased awareness of clientele/community members regarding where to find resources for food and nutrition, recovering finances, and increasing overall well-being
Indicator: Quantitative data from social media platforms and/or marketing campaigns for extension. Qualitative data from participants within extension programs indicating knowledge or awareness of extension programs and community resources.
Method: Community forums, in-program discussions, post-program discussions, social media and marketing platform surveys.
Timeline: 1 Year/On-going
Intermediate Outcome: Participants in extension programs or from other community programs indicate knowledge increase or skill attainment in culinary arts, fruit & vegetable access and attainment, and/or financial capabilities.
Indicator: Quantitative data from pre/post surveys from pre-packaged curriculums produced from research-based entities.
Method: Pre/post surveys
Timeline:On-going
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator: Community-wide decrease the number of overweight and obese residents and an increase community knowledge, skill and awareness of physical activity & financial security.Improve overall family and community mental, physical and social/emotional wellness.
Method: Census data, reports from federal, state and local levels. Qualitative and Quantitative data collected through extension programs.
Timeline: On-going
Audience: Nelson County Homemakers
Project or Activity: Leader Lesson Trainings, Cultural Arts Engagement
Content or Curriculum: Health Literacy, Healthy Holiday Meals, Osteoporosis, Pathways to Wellness
Inputs: Agents, CES publications and resources, FCS Program Sponsored Curriculum, Homemakers
Date: Late Summer to Early Spring
Audience: Communities
Project or Activity: Farmers Market Outreach
Content or Curriculum: Cooking programs, marketing, increased access (e.g. location, hours, EBT), Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud resources, Farmers Market Toolkit, Super Star Chef, POP Club, Senior & WIC Voucher Support
Inputs: Nutrition Education Program (NEP), paid staff, grant funds, facilities, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Date: April – October/Growing seasons
Audience: Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Food Preparation for Better Health
Content or Curriculum: Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Super Star Chef, , Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, plans for prenatal- and infant/toddler-specific curriculum, resources for early care and education settings
Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions
Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year
Project or Activity: Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Publications, Trainings, Home-Based Micro-Processing Training, Champion Food Volunteers
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP
Date: July – September for adults and youth
Project or Activity: Physical, Mental and Socio/Emotional Wellness Promotion
Content or Curriculum: Blue To You, FitBlueKY, LEAP, SNAP/NEP
Inputs: Agents, CES publications and resources, FCS Program Sponsored Curriculum
Health Department, Community Collaboration, Schools
Date: Year-Round
Audience: Nelson County Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Club
Content or Curriculum: Cooking 101, 102, 103, 104
Inputs: Agents, volunteer leaders, Homemaker volunteers, ingredients, recipe cards
Date: Monthly meetings from Sept. through June
Audience: Nelson County Youth
Project or Activity: Passion Ignite at Foster Heights Elementary
Content or Curriculum: NEP recipes
Inputs: recipes, myPlate curriculum, agents time
Date: Once a month Sept.-May
Author: Marsha Hagler
Major Program: Super Star Chef
Superstar Chef is a three-day hands-on cooking and nutrition Cooperative Extension program. The program was designed to empower limited-resource youths with basic cooking skills so they can make the healthy choice the easy choice. Program content primarily focuses on hands-on food preparation skills, kitchen safety and appliance use, food safety procedures, nutrition education, and physical activity. The camp even included a family visit to the farmers market where youth learned about local food
