Extension
It Starts With Us
Making healthy Lifestyle Choices and Citizen Education
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices and Citizen Education
Neal, Dockery, Brooks, McMahan, Clark, Powell
Faithful Families
Local Food Systems
Business Retention and Expansion
Active Living and Health Promotions General
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality of life 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% over the last 15 years. Thirty-percent of individuals in the Commonwealth report no leisure-time physical activity. Increased consumption of unhealthy foods, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic.
Nutrition education programs, local / home garden, and farmer's markets help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy safe food preparation methods, importance of sustainable practices, and improvement of individual/local gardening practices. Citizens receive education on senior issues, parenting and low vision resources. Agents, paraprofessionals, and volunteers are pivotal in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table.
There are over 9950 children in out of home care, of which 1444 reside in the Southern Bluegrass Region. Substance abuse contributed to 50% of all child abuse and neglect cases. These numbers contribute to the instability of families, communities, social services and economic stability and growth.
Parenting education programs reduce risk factors that are known to contribute to abuse and neglect. Teaching skills like communicating with respect, nurturing parenting, alternatives to spanking, understanding feelings, conflict resolution, ages and stages of development, praising children and their behavior and other parenting skills aid in prevention and reduction of child and neglect.
Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating.
Improve access and availability of local foods to the community. Provide education and resource availability regarding senior social issues, low visibility and parenting.
Reduce the number of children placed in out of home care.
Reduce the numbers of cases for abuse and neglect
Reduce the recidivism rate of cases of abuse and neglect.
Improve nurturing parenting skills.
Practice of physical activity and healthy food choices in families and communities through decreased time of sedentary behaviors, maintaining appropriate calorie intake, and practicing healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individual’s ability to cope with normal life stressors.
Residents will increase practices related to Community and Economic Development by increased participation in job preparedness programs, involvement in local community events, developing new jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities, and adopting fiscally responsible behaviors
Participants will practice nurturing parenting skills with their children.
Participants will have children returned to home.
Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes towards parenting, discipline, home management and conflict resolution skills.
The practice and promotion of healthy food and nutrition, financial and mental well-being.
Outcome: Long-term Families will be reunited
Indicator: Participants will use alternative to spanking, which reduces the risk of physical abuse. No new cases of abuse or neglect.
Method: Self-reported
Timeline: ongoing
Outcome: Intermediate: No new cases/allegations of abuse or
neglect.
Indicator: Participants will practice using alternatives to spanking, effective communication, conflict resolution and will have appropriate expectations for children.
Method: Self-report
Timeline: ongoing
Outcome: Initial: Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes towards parenting, discipline, home management and conflict resolution skills.
Indicator: Participants will learn to adopt nurturing parenting skills that increase the child’s self-esteem, set age appropriate boundaries and expectations, establish effective communication habits and apply increased knowledge and awareness that was learned.
Method: Weekly Evaluation/Survey, AAPI 1 and AAPI2
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: LEAP
Content or Curriculum: LEAP curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Agents, NEP Program assistants, CES Publications
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Physical Activity Programs
Content or Curriculum: Matter of Balance Curriculum, Get Moving Kentucky
Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, CES publications, Extension Specialist
Dates: Ongoing
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Get Fit Fayette County
Content or Curriculum: Various Curriculums
Input, KY Cooperative Extension Agents, public and private health agencies, non-profit organizations
Dates: Ongoing
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Kentucky Plate it Up/ Farmer's Market
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up Curriculum
Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents, CES publications, KDA, NEP assistants
Dates: Summer, Fall and Spring
Audience:
Project or Activity: Better Bites
Content or Curriculum: Better Bites Curriculum; Social Marketing and Policy Exploratory Pilot Study
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: ongoing
Audience: Adults, Teens & Youth
Project or Activity: Phone calls, e-mails, and office visit customer service opportunities
Content or Curriculum: Available resources through CES publications, specialists, and listed curricula
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: On-Going
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Lexington Drug Free Projects
Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks, Drug prevention
Inputs 4-H Agents, 4-H Assistants, FCS Agents, LFUCG, Police Department
Dates: ongoing
Audience: Teens & Youth
Project or Activity: Cooking/Food & Nutrition
Content or curriculum: 4-H curriculum; FCS curriculum; Plate It Up recipes
Inputs: 4-H Agents,4-H assistants, volunteers
Date: day camps, after-school programs
Audience: Teens & Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Club(s)
Content or curriculum: 4-H foods curriculum; FCS curriculum; Plate It Up recipes
Inputs: 4-H Agent, volunteers
Date: monthly club meetings and as requested
Audience: Adult and Youth
Project or Activity: SNAP-Ed/ Double dollars
Content or Curriculum: NEP curriculum, CES Publications
Inputs: EFNEP and SNAP Ed assistants, County Extension Agents
Date: On-Going
Audience: Community residents
Project or Activity: Growing Community program
Content or Curriculum: ID-128
Inputs: Volunteers, collaborating agencies, LFUCG, County agents
Date: Annually in May
Audience: Fayette county School Students
Project or Activity: Agriculture Education for Fayette County School Students.
Content or Curriculum: Teach Students about Agriculture and show where food comes from.
Inputs: Leaders, Agents, Fayette County Schools, Locust Trace School.
Date: Spring and Fall.
Audience: Community Residents & Businesses
Project: Local Foods Committee & Coordinator
Content & Curriculum: Collaborating Agencies, LFUCG, Agents, Specialist
Date: All Year
Audience: Fayette County Schools Administration and Board
Project: School Health and Wellness Policy
Content & curriculum: Collaborating Agencies, Specialist and CES curriculum
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Senior Adults
Projects: Challenges of Aging, Grandparents Raising Relatives, Next Best Years
Content and Curriculum: Collaborating Agencies, Specialists, and CES curriculum
Date: ongoing
Audience: Adults
Projects: Food and Nutrition
Content: Food for Thought, Food Preservation, Adult Cooking, Champion Food Volunteers
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Community residents
Project or Activity: Master gardener projects related to food production
Content or Curriculum: Publications
Inputs: volunteers, specialists, county agents
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Community residents
Project or Activity: Growing Community program
Content or Curriculum: ID-128
Inputs: Volunteers, collaborating agencies, LFUCG, County agents
Date: Annually in May
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Farmer's Market/Plate it Up
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up, KY Department of Ag
Inputs: Cooperative Extension Agent, specialists, KDA, Lexington Farmer's Market
Date: On-going
Audience: Adults, Teens & Youth
Project or Activity: Phone calls, e-mails, and office visit customer service opportunities
Content or Curriculum: Available resources through CES publications, specialists, and listed curricula
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Volunteers, Kentucky CES publications; local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: On-Going
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: SKY Families Program
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Parenting Curriculum
Inputs: Carla Jordan
Date: 6-week sessions. Class meets twice per week for 1 hour and a half.
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Plate It Up
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant
Date: 5 classes per session
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Health
Health Rocks was implemented in Beaumont Middle School FCS class during the month of September. Middle Schoolers went through 8 hours of lessons about the dangers of smoking, drinking, and drug use. Stress and stress relief ideas were also implemented into the lessons. The students were given an evaluation at the beginning and end of the class. There were 50 students involved in the program from the evaluation- 48 students said they thought differently about drug, alcohol and tobaccos use, 50 st
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Recent weather events and climate change have made most Americans increasingly aware of water quality issues. In Lexington MS4 regulations have emphasized these concerns. One of the major pollutants of stormwater is excess nutrients from homeowner fertilizer applications. The Fayette County horticulture program offers classes related to low input lawn care approaches that can serve to dramatically lessen fertilizer applications. Research has shown that turf grasses perform better with limi
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The CDC reported in 2019 that only 10% of Americans consume the recommended quantity of vegetables daily. Fayette County FCS talked with several community members about this concern and found that many people simply did not know how to cook vegetables in a way that they and their family would like. Thus, we determined that learning to cook vegetables in a healthy and tasty manner was an important educational component that the community was missing. The program "All About Veggies"
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Low levels of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, and poor mental health are all determinants of several chronic diseases. These behaviors are now considered major public health concerns and require effective behavior change interventions. The Fall Back into Fitness program was developed with these issues in mind. The series took place throughout the fall of 2022 at the Fayette County Extension Office. The classes occurred in the early evening for 45 minutes each. There were 8 sessions in to
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Fayette County is one of Kentucky's most populus cities. The demand for accurate, reliable gardening information is great. The Fayette County Extension horticulture program is well known, and we strive to provide relevant information in a variety of ways. One of our most popular offerings is a series of informal gardening classes called Gardener's Toolbox. We discovered that teaching classes helped circumvent countless phone discussions. Horticlture staff often source new or improved var
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program. The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information abo
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building skills and cooking knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals. Evidence also suggests that those who prepare home-cooked meals have improved health outcomes and reduced chronic disease risk. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Fayette County Extension Offi
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Financial Education - General
FCS agent presented Transferring Cherished Posessions Leader Lesson on February 28th, 2023. Estate planning can be a complicated process, especially when considering how to transfer personal property to peole who will want and care for it after ones death. FCS agent goal for this program were to have attendees understand what is in your estate, discuss estate planning considerations, and document ones wishes for their estate. Program resulted in an attendance of 13. 25% of those attending from t
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Often, cooks find themselves in a mealtime rut and feel overwhelmed with making decisions around meals and snacks for themselves and their family. Building skills and cooking knowledge as well as adding variety and creativity into meal preparation increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home cooked meals.To
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Civic Engagement
In a 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, one in four youth were unable to name the three branches of government. In addition, in July 2018 the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.141 stated a student must pass a civics test at a rate of 60% or higher, composed of 100 questions to graduate from a public high school with a regular diploma. To address this need, Kentucky 4-H Capitol Experience was established with the objectives of: Developing a positive relationship between
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes
FCS joined forces as a part of the Diabetes Coalition team to plan develop and initiate and implement Diabetes Expo, held at the extension office. With the local hospital Saint Joseph not bringing back the annual diabetes expo, Nancy Hiner co-chair of Diabetes Coalition and community partner from the Lexington Health Department reached out to FCS to see about hosting at the extension office. Planning meeting where held throughout the year up til April and logistics were ironed out with maximizin
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes
Food insecurity is the consistent lack of enough food for everyone in a household to live an active, healthy life. According to 2018 data from the Feeding America website (https://www.feedingamerica.org), the percentage of food insecurity in Kentucky is 14.8%. Moreover, the food insecurity rate is 12.8% in Fayette County (www.feedingamerica.org). In order to address this problem, the Fayette County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences shared Hunger in Kentucky lessons with
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Consuming the recommended amount of vegetables each day is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. This equals 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, depending on age and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 6.3 percent of adults in Kentucky meet the daily vegetable intake recommendations. In order to increase vegetable consumption in Kentucky adults, the Fayette County Extension office hosted the workshop Sensati
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
The problemAccording to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self- confidence.The educational program responseSenior Chef was a year long program in Fayette County. The group met once a month for 2 hours each time. They learned how to prepare healthy main course meals and a dessert. Many of the teens had never participated in a cooking club be
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Rising food prices and broader inflation have taken a toll on family budgets. The residents of Fayette County have expressed lots of interest in vegetable gardening as a means to supplement meals and stretch food budgets. Fayette County extension, along with Master Gardener volunteers, LFUCG parks and recreation, Fayette County Public Schools, and NEP staff hosted an event to train inexperienced gardeners to grow vegetables. We titled the event 'Growing Community' and offered it at a Wil
