Extension
It Starts With Us
Promoting Health and Wellness from cradle to grave
Health and Wellness
Julia McCloud, Kenna Knight, Lindie Huffman
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Health
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Situation: The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. The obesity rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the last 15 years and 36.2% of Pendleton County residents have a BMI of 30 or greater. Thirty-two percent of individuals in the Pendleton County report no leisure-time physical activity. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. As a result, Kentuckians and Pendleton County residents are dying from heart disease and cancer at higher rates than all Americans and they have a lower life expectancy, 75.5 years, compared to 78 years for Americans. The goal of the Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Initiative is to reverse these trends by working with various organizations, agencies, and groups to promote the health and wellness in all Kentuckians.
Healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Co-habiting, same-sex, divorced, widowed and single households are the new majority. Children who live absent from their biological fathers are two to three times more likely to be poor, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parents. 26% of Pendleton County youth are in single parent families. In 2013, 24 percent of Pendleton children lived in poverty, and the ranking for Kentucky was 48th in the nation. Children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. 2014/15 data for Pendleton county shows 60% kindergartners are not ready to learn, 56% or fourth graders were not proficient in reading and 9 % of high schools students are not graduating on time. Local data also reveals youth that use tobacco are 17% above the national average for all grade levels, 13 % of adults report drinking excessively, while 40% of our twelve grade students report using alcohol regularly. Bully is also on the rise as well as teen suicide rates. All this information leads to the need of building strong life skills throughout all stages on our resident’s life span.
Long-term Outcomes:
•A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly
•Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily
•Improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating
•Improvement in the mental health and wellbeing of Kentuckians
•Manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension
•Increase the estimated health savings in dollars for chronic disease.
•Increase policies that address obesity, physical inactivity and promotion of poor nutrition
Kentucky families, including youth are able to:
•Care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over the long term
•Build personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making.
•Reach out with empathy to people of diverse cultural, ethnic, racial groups and those experiencing severe stress
•Foster the optimal development of children and youth
•Practice parental leadership skills
•Access community resources when needed
•Become volunteers to make their community a better place to live for everyone
Improve Kindergarten readiness
Reduce Alcohol, Tobacco and other drug use
Intermediate Outcomes:
•Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns.
•Maintain appropriate calorie balance during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age
•Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors
•Community members advocate for policy Changes related to obesity, physical activity and healthy eating.
•Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease.
•Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.
The number of individuals who:
•Set and used family rules, routines and limited screen time
•Ate family meals four or more times a week
•Reduced stress levels, made time for selves, and/or made wise decisions about money, time, long range plans, substance abuse, treatment of others, daily activities etc.
•Played with child daily
•Reported child’s developmental progress over time
•Identified realistic expectations for child’s tasks
•Reported using preventive and positive discipline techniques in response to misbehavior, and setting and enforcing logical consequences
•Practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships and be successful in life endeavors
•Accessed community agencies when needed
•Engaged in community outreach activities
Initial Outcome:
Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding:
•Healthy lifestyle choices
•Childhood and youth obesity
•Adult weight management
•Healthy aging
•Practice and promotion of daily physical activity
•Policies that that reduce the level of obesity
•Reduction of chronic disease
•Commits to set family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play and exercise, set routines
•Intends to manage stress; make time for self; listen, talk, bond with family members; read with child daily; teach responsibility in use of money, time, etc.
•Describes child’s developmental levels relative to averages
•Verbalizes realistic behavior expectations
•Lists developmentally appropriate playthings
•Discusses discipline vs. punishment, and preventive and positive discipline techniques
•Commits to using logical consequences for misbehavior
•Intends to contact community agencies for assistance
•Intends to participate in volunteer activities
•Teach Life Skills to youth in all grade levels
•Provide alternative activities for youth to participate in
Evaluation:
Long-term Outcome:
Create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life cycle.
Indicator: Number of adults and youth who make a lifestyle change for the purpose of improving water and/or natural resources for the betterment of the environment and individuals living in it currently and in the future
Method: observations, pre and post surveys
Timeline: All year
Intermediate Outcome:
Implement practices that will improve, have a cost saving benefit and teach a skill that will create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life cycle.
Indicator: Number of adults and youth who make a lifestyle change for the purpose of improving water and/or natural resources for creating healthy safe homes.
Method: Observations, pre and post surveys
Timeline: All year
Initial Outcome
Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and/or aspirations in understanding of issues related to creating safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life cycle.
Indicator: Number of adults and youth who have increased knowledge, made an opinion, learned a skill or developed aspirations related to the environmental education.
Method: Observations, pre and post surveys
Timeline: All year
Learning Opportunities (repeat as needed):
Audience: Families, pre-school, seniors, youth, volunteers
Project or Activity: Develop nutrition message and programs that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding healthy lifestyle choices, programs will include:
•Plate it Up Sampling and preparing (throughout the year) FCS, ANR
•Recipe for Life (March) FCS, 4-H, ANR
•Farmers Market (Seasonal) FCS, ANR
•LEAP (monthly) pre-school and Headstart, FCS
•Healthy Nutrition for Senior (monthly) FCS
•Virtual Cooking Series (through out the year) FCS
• Summer Garden Series (school year) FCS, ANR
Fitness for Produce - June, July - (ANR, 4-H, FCS)
•4-H Garden Club (monthly) 4-H, ANR
4-H Fitness Club (year round) 4-H
Health Rocks with 7th & 8th (fall and spring) 4-H, FCS
Outdoor Adventure Club (year round) 4-H
•Middle School 4-H Club (fall, winter and spring) 4-H
•Culinary Challenge (spring) 4-H
•Cooking Club (monthly) 4-H
•Project Days (fall or spring break) 4-H, ANR, FCS
•Professor Popcorn (monthly) 4-H
•Think What You Drink (October) 4-H
•Fats and Fast Foods (November) 4-H
•Country Hams (January-September) 4-H
4-H Middle School Club; Cultural Series (September- April) 4-H
•Community Service Alliance; Health Imitative (monthly) 4-H
Middle School Fitness Challenge - School Year - (FCS)
Storywalks - quarterly - (FCS)
Content or Curriculum:
•Homemaker Leader Lessons
•Plate it Up
•LEAP
•UK publications
•USDA Material
Inputs: FCS Agent, ANR Agent, 4-H Agent, Program Assistant, Local Schools, Health Department, and Curriculums listed above, Farmers Market, Local Grocery Store, Volunteers
Date: - throughout the year as dates state above
Audience: Families, pre-school, seniors, youth, volunteers
Program or Activity: Healthy Weight throughout the life span programs which will include:
•5K/Walk Run (Summer) 4-H, FCS
•Fitness Challenge (Winter, Summer) FCS, 4-H
4-H Fitness Club (Year Round) 4-H
Fitness with Middle School Gym (each semester) 4-H
•LEAP (monthly) pre-school and Headstart, FCS
•StoryWalks (quarterly) FCS
Educational walks (Monthly) FCS, ANR, 4-H
•Think What You Drink (October) 4-H
•Fats and Fast Foods (November) 4-H
* Farmers Market (Seasonal) ANR
Content or Curriculum:
•Homemaker Leader Lessons
•LEAP
•Weigh Reality Series
•UK publications
•USDA Material
Inputs: FCS Agent, ANR Agent, 4-H Agent, Program Assistant, Local Schools, Health Department, Curriculums listed above, Volunteers
Date: throughout the year as dates state above
Audience: Families, pre-school, seniors, youth, volunteers
Program or Activity: Reduce Chronic disease Risk through the following programs or activities:
•Fitness challenge (summer and winter) FCS
•Ovarian Cancer Screening (Spring) FCS
•Know Your Numbers (May and August) FCS
Content or Curriculum:
•Homemaker Leader Lessons
•Plate it Up
•LEAP
•UK publications
•USDA Material
Inputs: FCS Agent, ANR Agent, 4-H Agent, Program Assistant, Local Schools, Health Department, Local Hospitals, Cancer Coalition, Wellness Coalition, Curriculums listed above, Volunteers
Date: throughout the year as dates state above
Audience: Adults, Youth, Families, Farmers, Tourists
Hunters for the Hungry – ANR and FCS (November)
Inputs: Agents, specialist, Volunteers, Conservation District, Department of Forestry, Department of Fish & Wildlife, Local Agri-tourism Businesses, State Park System
Date: Summer
Audience: Home Horticulture and Consumer
Activity: Home Horticulture Programs
•Kitchen Gardening
•Planning the Garden that is Right for You
•Herb Gardening
•KY Plate it Up Sampling – All Year (ANR, FCS)
•Container Gardening
•Utilizing Raised Beds
•The Meat of the Matter: Purchasing Local Meats – August - November (ANR)
Content or Curriculum:
•Lawn and Gardening & Horticulture
•vegetables production
•home fruit production
•landscape design
•landscape management
•beneficial insects
Inputs:
•Extension Community Education Garden
•Monarch Watch Station Grant
•Leader
•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•FSA
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
Date: All year
Audience: Farmers Market / Horticulture Producers (AG, FCS)
Activity: Develop an organization to allow participants a networking system to enhance production and profitability through various programs and activities.
•Farmers Market – All Year (ANR)
•Farmers Feast – August (ANR, FCS)
•GAP/PBPT Training – March/April (ANR)
•KY Proud – February/March (ANR)
•KY Plate it Up Sampling and Demos – All Year (ANR, FCS)
•SR/WIC FMNP
Content or Curriculum:
•GAP Training
•Home-Based Processing Training
•KY Proud
•KY Plate it Up
•KY Farmers Market Handbook
•SR/WIC FMNP, USDA Publications
•Extension Publications
Inputs:
•Leader, Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•FSA
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
•KY Plate It UP
•KY Proud
•KDA
Date: All Year, Heavy in Production Season
Audience: Youth
Activity: Educational programs to cultivate students understanding of where their food comes from
•Sprouts – May to November (ANR)
JMG - May, June, July and school year (ANR, FCS, 4-H)
Content or Curriculum:
•KY Plate it Up
•SNAP-ED
•Star Chef
•Jr. Master Gardener
•The Honey Bee Files
•Nutrients for Life
•Professor Popcorn
•4-H Curriculum
JMG curriculum
Inputs:
•Extension Community Education Garden
•Monarch Watch Station Grant
•Leader
•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•FSA
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
4th grade students, teacher and administrators
Sharp Giving Garden - All Year - (FCS, ANR)
Date: All year
Audience: Limited Resource Families
Activity: Outreach and educational programs to foster life skills, awareness and appreciation of local foods
•Farms to Foodbanks – May to November (ANR)
Sharp Giving Garden - All Year - (ANR, FCS)
Open Hands Partnership - All Year - (FCS, ANR)
•WIC Education – May – November (ANR)
•SR. Center Education – All Year (FCS, ANR)
•Local Food Team – All Year (ANR)
Hunters for Hungry – November – (FCS, ANR)
Open Hands Ministry – November, March, April – (FCS and 4-H)
Content or Curriculum:
•KY Plate it Up
•The Power of Buying Local
Inputs:
•Extension Community Education Garden
•Leader
•SNAP-ED
•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•Food Pantries
•USDA
•Religious Organizations
•Fiscal Court
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
Date: All year
Content or Curriculum:
•Homemaker Leader Lessons
•UK publications
•USDA Material
Inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, Volunteers, Program Assistant, Schools
Date: Dates are indicated above
Audience: Families, pre-school, seniors, youth, volunteers
Inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, Volunteers, Program Assistant, Schools, Champions Coalition and collaborators, Community Service Alliance
Date: Dates are indicated above
Audience: Audience: Families, pre-school, seniors, youth, volunteers
Project or Activity: Strengthen family nurturing attitudes and behaviors by caring for the health and well-being of each individual throughout the lifespan program and activities to include:
•Recipe for Life (January-May) FCS
•Plant a Promise (Oct and April) FCS, ANR
•AG Reality Day ( April) FCS, ANR, 4-H
•Prevention Presentation for Student Athletes (quarterly) FCS
•Early Childhood Camp - Summer - (FCS)
Fitness for Produce - June, July - (FCS, ANR, 4-H)
•Delivering Valentines (February) 4-H
•Good Start and Ready Fest (August) 4-H, FCS
*Senior Bash (May) ANR, FCS
Virtual Cooking (monthly) FCS
Book Club (monthly) FCS
Content or Curriculum:
•Homemaker Leader Lessons
•UK publications
•USDA Material
Inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, Volunteers, Program Assistant, Schools, Champions Coalition and collaborators, Community wellness coalition
Date: Dates are indicated above
Audience: Home Horticulture and Consumer
Activity: Home Horticulture Programs
•Kitchen Gardening – April (ANR)
•Planning the Garden that is Right for You – February (ANR)
•Herb Gardening – March (ANR)
•KY Plate it Up Sampling – All Year (ANR, FCS)
•Container Gardening – February (ANR)
•Utilizing Raised Beds – May (ANR)
•The Meat of the Matter: Purchasing Local Meats – August - November (ANR)
•Plant Propagation Series – November (ANR)
•Rain Barrel Workshop – May (ANR)
•Rain Garden Workshop – May (ANR)
FlowerBuds - Monthly - (FCS)
Content or Curriculum:
•Lawn and Gardening & Horticulture
•vegetables production
•home fruit production
•landscape design
•landscape management
•beneficial insects
Inputs:
•Extension Community Education Garden
•SNAP-ED
•Monarch Watch Station Grant
•Leader
•Extension and other UK Extension Specialists
•County Agricultural Board
•FSA
•local producers and general public
•Certified Volunteers
Date: All year
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Flood Relief & Recovery
On the Sunday evening after historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky, Lindie Huffman sat in her Williamstown, Kentucky home with a heavy heart. She was brainstorming ways to help her counterparts who were going through hell in high water. Watch related video“For anyone who knows the little town of Falmouth, we were hit by a flood in 1997, so this hits close to home,” said Huffman, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The population of Northern Kentucky continues to increase and with that increase more individuals from diverse backgrounds are calling the region home. Learning about different cultures and customs is important for area residents as they learn to live with others from around the world.The Pendleton, Kenton and Boone County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents offered a 3-part, cook-along-from-home series via Zoom focused on the countries and cultures of Germany, Ireland and Greece. Even
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Child Development Programs
In 2020 while looking for innovative ways to reach youth and conduct programs amid a pandemic, StoryWalks® were adopted in Pendleton County due to the program's flexibility. Early childhood literacy and kindergarten readiness were our primary focus. Kentucky has reported that only 52% of children attending kindergarten are considered ready, and in Pendleton County, is only 41.1%. Kindergarten readiness, early childhood literacy, increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and increa
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Flood Relief & Recovery
Historic flooding struck Eastern Kentucky in July 2022 and Pendleton County in 1997. In response to the Pendleton County community's desire to help their fellow flood survivors, the Pendleton County Extension Office organized a mission to bring hope and joy to the affected families during the holiday season. This heartwarming story highlights their tireless efforts and the transformative impact they made in the lives of twenty-four families comprising seventy-six individuals.As the floodwate
