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, Sarantakos
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: Zumba and Strength
Input: KY Cooperative Extension Agents- MB/ CM
Dates: Ongoing as requested
Audience: African American Adults
Project: Diabetes Prevention Program- Fit and Faithful
Content or Curriculum: Fit and Faithful curriculum- UK- College of Nursing
Inputs: Change Research Team, Extension agent trained as CHW- MB, Faith Based community
Audience: Adults
Audience: Community/ Senior Facilities/ Older adults
Project: Bingocize
Content: WKU- Jason Crandall and Research Team
Inputs: Aging Extension Specialist, Bingocize trained agents
Dates: session completed this spring and ongoing upon request
Project or Activity: Walk with the Doc
Content or Curriculum: Various Curriculums
Input, KY Cooperative Extension Agents- MB/CM, Healthy Kentucky Iniative public and private health agencies, non-profit organizations
Dates: in early planning phases
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: Community/ Families
Project or Activity: Be Healthy Bash
Content or Curriculum: various
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Specialists, Volunteers, CES publications; NEP, UK healthcare/ Healthy Kentucky Iniative, local, state, and federal agencies.
Date: ongoing, early planning phases for annual event
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: Fayette County 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 Club(s)
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, 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 Days
Content & curriculum: Agents- MB/CM, Specialist and CES curriculum
Date: Ongoing as requested
Audience: Senior Adults
Projects: Embracing the Next Best Years, Grandparents Raising Relatives
Content and Curriculum: Fayette County Agent- MB, Specialists, GAP and Embracing Next Best Years Planning committee
Date: ongoing throughout the year planning for annual events
Audience: Adults
Projects: Food and Nutrition
Content: Food for Thought, Food Preservation, Adult Cooking, Champion Food Volunteers, Extension agents- MB/CM
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 social media curriculum
Content or Curriculum: SNAP Ed/EFNEP resources through CES publications, specialists, and listed curricula; planeatmove.com
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents, Program Assistants, Specialists, Kentucky CES publications
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: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
There is new interest in traditional food preservation methods among consumers. The decision to preserve food at home could be driven by several reasons, including but not limited to preserving home-grown foods, sustainability, controlling ingredients found in foods (e.g., sodium, added sugar), saving money, or the simple enjoyment of reviving family traditions. With food preservation, food safety and research-based practices are critical to ensure consumer health and wellness. To ensure lo
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
There is new interest in traditional food preservation methods among consumers. The decision to preserve food at home could be driven by several reasons, including but not limited to preserving home-grown foods, sustainability, controlling ingredients found in foods (e.g., sodium, added sugar), saving money, or the simple enjoyment of reviving family traditions. With food preservation, food safety and research-based practices are critical to ensure consumer health and wellness. To ensure lo
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Apparel and Textiles (Non-Master Clothing Volunteer)
In Extension, we strive to ensure our programming is relevant and accessible to people of all levels of abilities. In partnership with the Eastern Kentucky University Occupational Therapy Program, I identified a need for adaptive sewing classes at the Fayette County Extension Office. Sewing and quilting classes are offered frequently in my county and are central to many of our community members’ lives and cultures. Thus, it is important to provide adaptive programming to address and meet t
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Gardening and Nutrition Education Program - AVOL AVOL Kentucky is an essential component of the Fayette County community with the goals of helping medically vulnerable people navigate to permanent and stable housing, access medical care (health screenings and preventative medications for HIV) and receive social support. Their mission is to collaborate with community partners to end HIV in Kentucky. Fayette County Extension strives to provide programmi
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
AVOL Kentucky is an essential component of the Fayette County community with the goals of helping medically vulnerable people navigate to permanent and stable housing, access medical care (health screenings and preventative medications for HIV) and receive social support. Their mission is to collaborate with community partners to end HIV in Kentucky. Fayette County Extension strives to provide programming and resources, reduce barriers to healthy living, and introdu
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes
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 homecooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Fayette County Extension Office presented the Savor the Flavor series to their community participants. The Savor the Flavor program focused on various types of cook
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. Horticulture staff often source new or improved va
Author: Maranda Brooks
Major Program: Economic Development and Workforce Preparation - FCS
The problem- College of Public Health Research Project Manager found that students were lacking opportunities to be exposed and explore new public healthy revlevant career opportunities including work in the extension services. The educational program response- FCS/ NEP collaborated to offering educational/ outreach opportunity to UK college of Public Health student to discuss career filed and overview of what extension services is and role of NEP program, prepped, co-led session regarding
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. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Fayette County Extension Office partners with the Aphasia Lab in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department at th
Author: Genaea Sarantakos
Major Program: Science, Engineering, and Technology
The problemFollowing our December dissection lab, our 4-H community requested more hands- on STEM opportunities for youth to participate in. The educational program responseWith the help of 4 UK Medical School students who expressed interest in volunteering with 4-H, they created and hosted a highly hands-on workshop for youth to explore medical sciences. Youth learned and experienced suturing, how to splint injuries, stop the bleed, and treat burns.The participants/target audience4-H youth
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
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.To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Fayette County Extension Office hosted the workshop Savor the Flavor: Building Flavor with Herbs. The Savor the Flavor program focused on flavoring dishes with herbs. FC
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
One of Lexington’s most diverse and economically disadvantaged populations lives in the Woodhill neighborhood. Most of Woodhill’s elementary-age students attend Breckinridge Elementary where nearly 80% of its students receive free or reduced lunches. This is significantly higher than the state average. Housing conditions and employment opportunities are ailing, and this area is home to an increasing refugee and immigrant population. Woodhill Community Center is a newer neighborhood d
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
There is a well documented link between gardening and physical and mental health. As our population ages we are increasingly aware of health issues and many seniors struggle to eat healthy meals on limited incomes. These issues are often exacerbated for those in low income or marginalized populations. In an effort to address some of these concerns The Fayette Extension horticulture agent and Senior NEP assistant developed a hybrid curriculum and program utilizing the healthy choices lessons
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Kentucky as a state has the highest prevalence of multiple forms of cancer in the United States, with many Kentuckians having additional risk factors including obesity, inactivity, and barriers to health screenings and other forms of preventative healthcare. Additionally, many people report low levels of knowledge and skills related to being able to make healthy lifestyle choices, like eating a wide variety of healthy foods, getting enough physical activity, and understanding warning signs of il
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
In our increasingly interconnected world, young people must acquire the knowledge and skills to engage effectively. Local economies now rely more than ever on international resources, and those who thrive in this interconnected economy are adaptable individuals who embrace multiculturalism. Passport Kitchen is a program designed to help young people take their first steps in developing these skills. It not only promotes family mealtime but also fosters life readiness skills. By collaboratively w
