Healthy Families and Communities
Empowering Healthy Home and Communities
Dora Centers, Chad Conway, and Lorie Adams
Community Vitality and Leadership -FCS
Faithful Families
Cook Together, Eat Together
Financial Education - General
The 2019 community assessment indicated:
The lack of jobs in the area is an important issue for Knott County. An additional challenge is lower waged jobs leave little income, particularly with the high cost of commuting.
Drug use also was identified as a priority issue. Substance abuse has negative consequences for individuals directly affected and their families. Some of these side-effects are cos rehabilitation, emergency response cost, jail, employability, and grandparents raising grandchildren.
A lack of maintained roads, adequate infrastructure, and the overall condition of the county is a hindrance to improving life. A lack of job skills and “soft job skills” hinder employability. Families in Knott county lack financial resources to thrive.
Volunteer leaders are critical for the sustainability of the community infrastructure. These volunteer leaders can help families become engaged, educated, and empowered to understand family and community issues and take ownership of implementing local solutions.
- More effective employees and community leaders
- Improved financial capability for Kentuckians, results in a better quality of life and stronger families
- Better family money management skills, such as reducing debt, increasing savings, and financial planning
- Community problems are solved through active engaged local leaders
- Improve the built and natural environment to increase active and healthy lifestyles
- Practice better employee “soft skills” such as communication, networking, teamwork, time management, problem-solving, etc
- Improve employability through practical living skills and continued education practices
- Practice one or more resource management behaviors resulting in increased savings or investments
- Adopt financial planning strategies
- Change knowledge, opinions, skills, and aspirations to improve employability through work and practical living skills and continuing education
- Increase knowledge and skills related to managing financial resources, including savings, credit, and financial planning
- Assist and participate in Knott County Drug Abuse Council with activities/events
Observation and the use of pre and post-test results.
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Holiday Showcase
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agents
Date: November 2023
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Savings Savvy with Grocery List and Coupon Apps
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: How to Organize
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: It's Your Reality Financial Literacy
Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent
Date: Fall 2023
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Lifeskills
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: College & Career Readiness
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Build Your Future
Inputs:4-H Agent/Teachers
Date: September-March
Audience: Families
Project or Activity: Hook N Cook
Content or Curriculum: Hook N Cook
Inputs: Agents, KY Dept. Fish and Wildlife
Date: On-going
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Science, Engineering, and Technology
4-H and KYFB Agri Science Fair First year for our partnership with Knott Co Farm Bureau for Agri Science Fair. The competition was open to 4th through 8th grades countywide. The categories included Food Science, Nutrition, Environmental, Biological and Engineering Sciences. The county 4-H agent promoted the new program and event by visiting science classrooms at all 7 elementary schools in the county distributing over 1,000 promotional flyers. Knott Co Farm Bu
Author: Lorie Adams
Major Program: Flood Relief & Recovery
Kentuckians have experienced firsthand how natural disasters can occur at any time and often with little warning. Disasters take many forms, and we can feel their impact across many areas of family life. Because there is no “one-size-fits-all” disaster model, planning community outreach can be challenging, and Cooperative Extension is often involved in disaster preparation and response at the local level.As a result of regional needs, Lorie Adams, Knott County Exte
Author: Lorie Adams
Major Program: Financial Education - General
The Problem: In the Quicksand Area, many families struggled with financial strain during the holiday season. The pressure to host elaborate meals and decorate homes often led to overspending, exacerbating financial stress for already vulnerable households.The Educational Program Response: To address this issue, the Quicksand Area Agents developed the Holiday Road Show, a comprehensive educational program aimed at helping families plan budget-friendly holiday meals and decorations. The program fo
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
According to the 2019 UK Community needs assessment. 2 out of 3 of Knott County’s top priority issues identified for youth & family were “more youth life skills training (money management, life decision making, etc.) and “better family skills in reducing debt, increasing savings and financial planning.” To address this priority an annual collaborative program with the elementary and high school FYRSCs, KCCHS Beta Club, Knott Co Board of Educ
Author: Lorie Adams
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Bingocize® was created by Dr. Jason Crandall, Co-Director/Co-Founder at the WKU Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging. He created the socially engaging group-based game that combines health education and exercise in the format of BINGO. Dr. Crandall and his research team have tested the program and demonstrated that older adults who play two times a week for 10-weeks significantly reduce the fear of falling, increase levels of physical activity, and decrease feelings of socia
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Camping
In the heart of every child lies a spark waiting to ignite—a passion for learning, exploring, and growing. Since the mid-1960s, Kentucky 4-H summer camps have been nurturing this curiosity, fostering skills that extend far beyond crafts and campfires. Rooted in the 4-H Thriving Model developed by Oregon State University professor Mary E. Arnold and Clemson University assistant professor Ryan J. Gagnon, these camps are not just about fun in the sun; they are gateways for personal deve