Cumberland County CES

Title:

Improving Health and Wellness in Cumberland County

MAP:

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Agents Involved:

Messenger; Hayward

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Food Preparation

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (Curriculum)

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Real Skills for Everyday Life

Situation:

According to USDA: Food Atlas, Cumberland County has 2 grocery stores, 8 convenience stores, 3 fast food restaurants and 6 full service restaurants. There is also 1 developing Farmer's Market. The USDA Food Atlas and National School Lunch Program Participation Rates also report that 73.4% of children in Cumberland County are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Furthermore, according to the 2013 County Health Rankings, 13.2% of adults have Diabetes and 33.4% of adults are obese in the county. Both of these rates are higher than the average for Kentucky.
Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods. Agents, paraprofessionals and volunteers are pivotal in influencing policies, systems, and environments and in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table.
Family and Consumer Sciences Extension encourages families to make proactive choices to improve individual health and well-being, whether choosing a low fat, nutritious diet, increasing health literacy for chronic disease prevention, or participating in regular physical activity.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Increase consumer access to recipes that feature healthy choices and locally grown products.

Increase per person average of fruit and vegetable consumption by one or more servings per day.

Decrease food waste and spoilage.

Increase the number of meals prepared and eaten at home on average by one or more per week.

Youth will be food secure when school is not in session.

Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily.

Increase knowledge of money saving measures and put into practice to maximize resources.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Increase purchase and consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Improve food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and nutrition habits.

Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefit through SNAP and Senior Vouchers.

Youth who access other food sources when not in school through Summer Feeding Program.

Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.

Adopt one or more short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.

Initial Outcomes:

Conduct educational programs, demonstrations, distribute samples and educational materials featuring locally grown foods and incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Consumers will improve knowledge of the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables and locally grown foods.

Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet.

Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food.

Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being.

Learn about community support services to increase food security.

Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices, healthy aging and benefits of physical activity.

Teens and young adults will simulate life situations to recognize the importance of education and employability skills.

Participants will identify short, medium and long-term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Consumers will improve knowledge of the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables and locally grown foods and benefits of physical activity. Number of individuals reported increased level of understanding in the area of how to manage money to reach financial goals.

Indicator: Consumers will complete pre and post evaluations of the Plate It Up program, showing an improvement; Clientele will complete 24-hour recalls and behavior checklists upon entering and graduating from the SNAP-Ed program, showing improvements in data. Program participants will complete pre and post-evaluations of Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future.

Method: Curriculum evaluation

Timeline: Completion of program

Intermediate Outcome: Increase purchase and consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Improve food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and nutrition habits. Incorporate physical activity into daily routines. Adjust spending habits.

Indicator: Follow-up evaluations with consumers who participate in Plate It Up, Food Preservation and Food Preparation programs will show an increase in the number of locally grown foods purchased. They will also indicate more fresh fruits and vegetables eaten daily and an increase in the number of meals prepared and eaten at home on a weekly basis. Walking and physical activity logs will show an increase in activity. Number of individuals reporting intent to adjust at least one spending habit toward financial stability.

Method: Pre and post-evaluations and observation of hands-on activities/Program evaluation

Timeline: Completion of program

Long-term Outcome: Increase consumer access to recipes that feature healthy choices and locally grown products.

Increase per person average of fruit and vegetable consumption by one or more servings per day.

Decrease food waste and spoilage.

Increase the number of meals prepared and eaten at home on average by one or more per week.

Number of individuals who implemented at least one strategy to reduce expenses or manage money.

Indicator: Pre and post-evaluations of programs

Method: Pre and post-evaluations, testimonials and observation during programs and hands-on activities

Timeline: Following program completion and 3-6 moth follow-ups

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: NEP participants

Project or Activity: Adult group programs

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition Education Program educational materials

Inputs: SNAP-Ed assistant, recruited volunteers, NEP program grant and reimbursement funds for demonstration supplies, meeting areas in collaborating agency facilities

Date: Spring and Fall

Audience: Farmer's Market vendors and consumers

Project or Activity: Demonstration and sampling

Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up and NEP

Inputs: Extension staff, Farmer's Market space, SNAP-Ed reimbursement for demonstration and sampling

Date: May-August

Audience: Cumberland County Adults

Project or Activity: Food Preservation classes

Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation curriculum

Inputs: Extension staff

Date: July-yearly

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Nutrition lessons

Content or Curriculum: LEAP; Wellness in Kentucky; MyPlate; Grow it, Try it, Like it; Yummy Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Staff, SNAP-Ed Assistant, local daycares, HeadStart, Elementary School, Cumberland County Middle School, Fruit and Veggie Bingo Cards

Date: In school- August-April; Daycares- monthly

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Health and Wellness Challenge

Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Curriculum; Dining with Diabetes Curriculum; Couch Potato Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Staff, SNAP-Ed Assistant, Health Department/Diabetes Educator, Cumberland County Health Coalition

Date: Summer 2017

Audience: Senior Citizens

Project or Activity: Matter of Balance

Content or Curriculum: Matter of Balance Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Staff, Volunteers, curriculum

Date: Fall 2017

Audience: CCES 5th Grade Students and High School Seniors

Project or Activity: Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future

Curriculum: Building a Healthy, Wealthy Future, Good Credit Game and Real Skills for Real Life Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Staff, FRYSC, school staff, curriculum

Date: Fall 2017 and Spring 2018

Audience: Adults/General Public

Project or Activity: Chronic Disease Self Management

Curriculum: Chronic Disease Self Management Curriculum

Inputs: Extension staff, Lake Cumberland District Health Department Staff, curriculum

Date: Fall 2018

Success Stories