Barren County CES

County Emphasis:

Active Living, Food Security and Health Promotions

Concentration 1:

Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Concentration 2:

Health and Wellbeing

Concentration 3:

Financial Security and Economic Well-Being

Concentration 4:

Work and Life Skill Development

Situation:

It is proven that people who have access to and consume their daily dietary requirements of fresh fruits and vegetables are less likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and have an increased quality of life. Having the knowledge and skills to prepare or preserve fresh fruits and vegetables presents an additional barrier beyond obtaining fresh food access.

With the goal of increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) aims to increase access to fresh food, as well as increase knowledge and awareness of how to select, store, safely prepare, process, and preserve these foods. CES prioritizes statewide partnership development that helps us meet our goals and objectives. We collaborate with statewide agencies including Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Community Farm Alliance, KY Farm to School Network, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and others to help build statewide systems that increase access and usage of fresh fruits and vegetables. These programs benefit Kentuckians because they support food access policy, systems and environmental changes in communities and across the state. They increase knowledge of how to grow, prepare, and preserve fresh fruits and vegetables

County Situation:

Barren County is home to around 46,000 individuals. Among the population, the food insecurity rate is estimated to be 15.1%. The Barren County Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Council feels there is a need to provide a wide range of programming efforts and opportunities to our community including our youth. From this, they have determined that programming efforts should focus heavily on Food Safety and Food Preservation, Financial Education and Work Force Preparation for youth and adults. They also felt there was a need for physical activity promotion to encourage overall good health. 

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Individuals and families of all income levels have access to affordable and nutritious foods

• Decrease in the number of Kentuckians with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

• More Kentuckians routinely met the guidelines for the consumption of (locally-grown) fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Youth report reduced risk for poor health, developmental delays, obesity, and malnutrition.

• Youth increase educational outcomes.

• Youth decrease poor overall health.

• Routinely meeting guidelines and recommendations for health behaviors that promote wellness and quality of life

• Community environments that equitably support health-promoting behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Increase and/or strengthen statewide and regional partnership to address community food system issues.

• Increased production of Kentucky-grown food and increased market opportunities for those products.

• Improved dietary habits through: consumption of more fruits and vegetables, a variety of proteins and the number of meals prepared at home.

• Youth will practice making wise nutrition choices.

• Youth will practice food safety.

• Youth will access nutritious foods.

• Youth will prepare nutritious foods.

• Youth will eat a variety of healthy foods daily.

• Increased health-promoting behaviors that support family, community, and occupational health and safety

• Increased and/or strengthened partnerships to address community health or safety issues

• Increased organizational/site/community support for health-promoting behaviors that equitably address community health or safety issues

Increased salary/income

Increased employment

Initial Outcomes:

• Increased awareness of and use of Food Connection Programs: Value Chain Coordinators, TFC Learning Kitchen, and Cultivate KY resources.

• Increased awareness of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

• Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation.

• Increased participation in Homebased Microprocessing workshops.

• Increased awareness and accessibility of community resources available to access fresh foods.

• Increase the number of partnerships and/or coalitions involved in promoting awareness of local food systems,

• healthy eating, and active living (e.g. Program councils, Health Advisory Boards, etc.).

• Youth will learn how to make wise nutrition choices.

• Youth will learn the importance of food safety.

• Youth learn how to access nutritious foods.

• Youth will learn how to prepare nutritious foods.

• Youth will aspire to eat a variety of healthy foods daily.

• Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors

• Developed skills related to workforce development
• Improved employability and interpersonal skills
• Increased confidence to implement employability strategies
• Developed strategies for maintaining a health work-life balance

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation.

Indicator: 

• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding the safe storage, handling, preparation and/or preservation of food through Extension programs and resources.

• Number of individuals who reported supplementing their diets with healthy foods that they grew, harvested, or preserved (e.g. community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting).

Method: Pre/post participant evaluations from: NEP agent-led curricula, Champion Food Volunteer, Food Preservation;

Timeline Post-program/curricula survey administration; annual fiscal year (food system impact survey)

Initial Outcome: Increased intentions to employ health-promoting behaviors (e.g. vaccinations, screenings, preparation/consumption of nutritious foods, active living, pest prevention) 

Indicator: Number of participants who reported intentions to implement a behavior learned from a health and well-being program

Method: Demonstration or self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Initial Outcome: Improved knowledge related to financial literacy concepts 

Indicator: Number of individuals who reported increased knowledge of family finance and/or resource management concepts.

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Initial Outcome: Developed skills related to workforce development 

Indicator: Number of individuals who reported learning new skills to prepare or improved themselves for the workforce as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Intermediate Outcome: Youth will practice making wise nutrition choices 

Indicator: 

• Number of youth who reported that they applied skills and/or knowledge to prepare healthy snacks for self or family.  
• Number of youth who reported that they practiced safe food handling and preparation.  
• Number of youth who reported that they practiced kitchen safety. 
• Number of youth who reported that they have used the skills   and/or knowledge gained to complete a Family Consumer Sciences Project. 

Method: Standard Evaluation Tool for Family Consumer Sciences: Survey

Timeline: End of the program year

Intermediate Outcome: Increased savings (intermediate)

Indicator: Dollars reported saved as a result of participating in a financial education or family resource management program.

Method: Documentation (direct report, repeated survey) or interviews

Timeline: Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

Outcome: Long Term 

Indicator: Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study. 

Method: Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey 

Timeline: 1 or more years 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Individuals or Families

Project or Activity: Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Workshop(s)

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, Homemakers 

Date: July/August

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Nutrition and Food Preparation

Content or Curriculum: Literacy, Eating and Activity for Primary (LEAP), Teen Cuisine, 4H Cooking Club 

Inputs: Schools, Faith Based Organizations, Accredited and certified volunteers, Homemakers

Date: August-May

Audience: Individuals or Families 

Project or Activity: Nutrition Education

Content or Curriculum: Cooking from the Calendar, Savor the Flavor, Plate It Up KY Proud, planeatmove.com 

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, faith-based organizations,

Homemakers, schools

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Individuals and Families

Project or Activity: Physical Activity

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Faithful Families, Story Walks, Health and wellness Ambassadors, Shared Space Agreements, Health Coalitions, WIN, Health Partners, Bingocize, Walk Your Way, Families on the Move, County Walking Challenges, Mindfulness Trails, Fit Tips, Hiking for Health

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, health coalitions, healthcare providers, health department, non-profits, schools, company health & wellness, faith-based organizations, Homemakers, community centers, etc.

Date(s): Ongoing/seasonal

Audience: Individuals and Families

Project or Activity: Development of Family Resource Management Skills

Content or Curriculum: Use Less. Spend Less. Stress Less. curriculum; publications; MONEYWI$E newsletter and podcasts; PROFIT; Recovering Your Finances curriculum; OneOp; Big Blue Book Club; In the Face of Disaster; Leader Lessons; Money Habitudes; etc.

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, non-profit organizations, schools, financial entities and organizations, businesses, etc.

Date(s): Ongoing

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Reality Store, Dollars and Sense

Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality 

Inputs: Accredited and certified volunteers for 4H & FCS Programs, schools, Homemakers, paid staff 

Dates: September-April 

Audience: Individuals, Families, Employees

Project or Activity: Development of Employability Skills

Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability; Preparing for Financial Success curriculum; publications, newsletters (e.g., MONEYWI$E); Job Club; podcasts; PROFIT; Recovering Your Finances curriculum; OneOp; Enhancing Essential Skills Through the Arts curriculum and lessons, Artist Studio Guide lessons, publications

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, non-profit organizations, schools, Court system, community centers, etc.

Date: Ongoing

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Improved skills related to safe food preparation and food preservation.

Indicator: 

• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding the safe storage, handling, preparation and/or preservation of food through Extension programs and resources.

• Number of individuals who reported supplementing their diets with healthy foods that they grew, harvested, or preserved (e.g. community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting).

Method: Pre/post participant evaluations from: NEP agent-led curricula, Champion Food Volunteer, Food Preservation;

Timeline Post-program/curricula survey administration; annual fiscal year (food system impact survey)

Initial Outcome: Increased intentions to employ health-promoting behaviors (e.g. vaccinations, screenings, preparation/consumption of nutritious foods, active living, pest prevention) 

Indicator: Number of participants who reported intentions to implement a behavior learned from a health and well-being program

Method: Demonstration or self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Initial Outcome: Improved knowledge related to financial literacy concepts 

Indicator: Number of individuals who reported increased knowledge of family finance and/or resource management concepts.

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Initial Outcome: Developed skills related to workforce development 

Indicator: Number of individuals who reported learning new skills to prepare or improved themselves for the workforce as a result of participating in an Extension workforce development program/outreach

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration

Intermediate Outcome: Youth will practice making wise nutrition choices 

Indicator: 

• Number of youth who reported that they applied skills and/or knowledge to prepare healthy snacks for self or family.  
• Number of youth who reported that they practiced safe food handling and preparation.  
• Number of youth who reported that they practiced kitchen safety. 
• Number of youth who reported that they have used the skills   and/or knowledge gained to complete a Family Consumer Sciences Project. 

Method: Standard Evaluation Tool for Family Consumer Sciences: Survey

Timeline: End of the program year

Intermediate Outcome: Increased savings (intermediate)

Indicator: Dollars reported saved as a result of participating in a financial education or family resource management program.

Method: Documentation (direct report, repeated survey) or interviews

Timeline: Ongoing/as changes are made and projects progress

Outcome: Long Term 

Indicator: Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study. 

Method: Standard Evaluation Tool for 4-H Family Consumer Sciences: Survey 

Timeline: 1 or more years