Jefferson County CES Program Indicators and Success StoriesJul 1, 2019 - Jun 30, 2020





2066 - Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
2066.2) 540

Number of individuals who reported eating more healthy foods

2066.1) 100

Number of families/caregivers who reported supplementing their diets with healthy foods that they grew or preserved (community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting, farmers markets)

2066.9) 540

Number of individuals who reported eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily

2066.8) 0

Number of first time growers or those who haven’t grown in five or more years

2066.7) 0

Number of  families who grew a garden this year

2066.5) 0

Dollars in EBT, WIC or Senior benefits redeemed at farmers markets

2066.3) 0

Number of individuals reporting that they utilized delivery systems/access points (e.g. farmer’s markets, CSA’s WIC, Food Pantry) that offer healthy foods

2066.4) 540

Number of individuals who reported increased knowledge, skills or intentions related to using the nutrition facts label



Success Stories

Grandparents and Grandchildren Bond Over Healthy Meals

Author: Abigail Ewing

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

According to America’s Health Rankings by United Health Foundation in 2017, Kentucky ranked forty ninth for senior health. Out of fifty states, that is an alarming statistic, and it reinforces why programs like the Healthy Choices for Everybody is so important. The Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum was implemented at United Crescent Hill Ministries’ Senior Lunch Program by the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service. Throug

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Youth Learn about Handwashing Skills and Dairy Foods through a Nutrition and Literacy Program

Author: Abigail Ewing

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky stated, “A report from the National League of cities estimates annual health care costs of obesity-related illness at $190.2 billion or nearly 21% of annual medical spending in the United States and childhood obesity alone is responsible for $14 billion in direct medical costs.” It is crucial to instill health and wellness behaviors in youth as early as possible. Kindergarten and first grade students at Eisenhower Elementary completed a six-

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Nutrition and Cooking Class Inspires Rehabilitation Clients

Author: Abigail Ewing

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported “Findings support the position that nutrition education is an essential component of substance abuse treatment programs and can enhance substance abuse treatment outcomes.” The Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum was implemented at The Healing Place women’s’ facility by a SNAP-Ed assistant with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program. Participants in the program are ab

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Yorktown Seniors Participate in Nutrition Education Class

Author: Abigail Ewing

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

According to America’s Health Rankings by United Health Foundation, Kentucky ranked forty nine in 2017 for senior health. In order to improve the health of Louisville seniors, the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum was implemented at Yorktown Senior House by a SNAP-Ed assistant with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program. Lessons included topics such as meal planning, eating better on a budget, food safety, and MyPlate. After completion of the pr

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Saving Money, Who Doesn’t!

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A rehabilitation house for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service.  The program, Healthy Choices for Everybody, was offered, and one of the lessons taught was Budgeting for Everybody.The Nutrition Education Program Assistant stated that where and whenever someone can save money is always a plus, because the money saved on food shopping can go into savings or for an

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The Big Thaw: Thawing Frozen Food at Room Temperature, A No No!

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A rehabilitation house for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service.  The program, Healthy Choices for Everybody was offered and one of the lessons was Food Safety for Everybody. One of the topics in the lesson was the proper way to defrost frozen food. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant discussed with the group the main reasons for not defrosting fo

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How to use a Meat Thermometer and Why!

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A rehabilitation house for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service.  The program, Healthy Choices for Everybody, was offered. One of the lessons taught was Food Safety for Everybody and one of the topics focused on using a meat thermometer. The majority of clients did not own or know how to use a thermometer.The Nutrition Education Program Assistant explained t

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Why Eat more Fruit and Vegetables?

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A rehabilitation house for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service. According to the 2018 STATE INDICATOR REPORT on Fruits and Vegetables from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 12.2% of Americans eat enough fruit and 9.3% Americans eat enough vegetables to meet the daily requirements.  The program, Healthy Choices for Everybody was offered. M

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We need to be the first to bring the new changes

Author: Omar Miralles

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A new group of women that belong to a Jefferson County church network were having problems trying to teach their kids to eat more vegetables and were perplexed by the amount of junk food that their kids were demanding from them. They joined the Healthy Choices for Every Body program led by the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service and realized that they were the ones that needed to start the change by replacing going out to ea

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There's always a time to change

Author: Omar Miralles

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A group of women that attended a local church group in Jefferson County were concerned about the risks associated with the amount of sugar consumed by their kids and sought help within the church network. They were advised to join the Healthy Choices for Every Body program to find out how to improve their health condition. In the classes led by the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service, they were taught how to reduce the amoun

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Taking precaution is always better

Author: Omar Miralles

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A resident at a local Jefferson County apartment complex contacted the Nutrition Education Program Assistant about beginning a nutrition education program with other residents. The group began meeting regularly and the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service noticed that the group was having problems with the way they spent their resources and that they were missing some important cooking measures. They were also in constant str

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More activity, less calories

Author: Omar Miralles

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

A former Nutrition Education Program participant advised a group of friends about the benefits of the Healthy Choices for Every Body program and they decided to create a small group at a local apartment complex. The participants were concerned about their weight increase and how difficult for them shopping for food while working so many hours can be. They began the Healthy Choices for Every Body program, led by the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the University of Kentucky’s Coo

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The Silent Killer

Author: Brittany Thomas

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

                An adult Nutrition Education Program group with 31 participants was held at Southwest Center in Jefferson County. Lessons were presented by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Educator (SNAP-Ed) with the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service using the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum, which focused around seven core lessons. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adu

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Keep the Colon Rollin'

Author: Brittany Thomas

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

An adult Nutrition Education Program group with 7 participants was held at Shawnee Christian Health Care Center in Jefferson County. Lessons were presented by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Educator (SNAP-Ed) with the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service using the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum, which focused around seven core lessons. When reviewing the entry paperwork, the SNAP-Ed Assistant noticed none of the participants (0%) were consuming w

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Calories Add Up Quicker Than We Think

Author: Brittany Thomas

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

                An adult Nutrition Education Program group with 17 participants was held at the Family Health Centers in Jefferson County. Lessons were presented by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Educator (SNAP-Ed) with the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service using the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum, which focused around seven core lessons. Before the courses were taught, the assistant noticed 57% of

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Be the Best and Feel the Best

Author: Brittany Thomas

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Twelve youth groups, with 224 children total, at Dawson Orman Headstart were taught by a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Educator (SNAP-Ed) through the Nutrition Education Program in Jefferson County. Children around the preschool age should be introduced the most basic information about food groups, so the SNAP-Ed Assistant focused solely on each of the five food groups throughout each of the six lessons, which is known as MyPlate.              &nbsp

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KSU Mobile Kitchen Comes to West End Farmers Market

Author: Stephen Lewis

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

KSU Mobile Kitchen Comes to West End Farmers Market

Success Story.Having access to healthy foods has always been an issue in underserved neighborhoods, especially West Louisville. Another issue that many residents face is a lack of variety in their produce options, compound that with the fact that many people lack the knowledge of how to prepare unfamiliar vegetables and you will understand why many people choose fast food and processed foods more than cooking at home. To help combat this Kentucky State University has supported neighborhood organ

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POP Goes the Sugar: Seltzer Water Verses Soda

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

The University of Kentucky Health News states: “Drinking a can of sugar-sweetened beverage a day increases your risk of developing pre-diabetes by 46 percent, according to a recent study.“As many as one in three Kentucky adults, about 1.1 million people, are estimated to have pre-diabetes, but only 8.6 percent, more than 248,000 people, have reported being diagnosed, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the CDC,” Darla Carter of The Courier-Journal&nb

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THE BIG THAW! The Safe Ways of Thawing Frozen Food.

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Back in the day, people used to take the turkey or roast out of the freezer and defrost it in the sink or on the counter with the belief that it would be safe after cooking. However, according to the USDA, “As soon as raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products begin to thaw and become warmer than 40°F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply” (Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 2013). A lack of food safety knowledge can lead to improper f

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Stick It! To See If It’s Done.

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

According to the USDA, “Using a food thermometer is the only reliable way to ensure safety and to determine desired "doneness" of meat, poultry, and egg products. To be safe, these foods must be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful microorganisms that may be in the food” (Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 2015). It is important to understand how to safely handle food in order to prevent foodborne illness.A substance use recovery house

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Save time and Money by Planning Your Meals!

Author: Joel Worth

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

The MyPlate website states “Before making a grocery list, write down meals you want to make this week. Buying for the week means you’ll make fewer shopping trips and buy only the items you need” (choosemyplate.gov). Proper food resource management is an important skill for limited resource individuals and an aim of the Nutrition Education Program. A substance use recovery program for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Educa

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Individuals with Disabilities Learn Hands-on Skills in a Nutrition and Cooking Class

Author: Abigail Ewing

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

The Centers for Disease Control reported “The increasing weight gain and obesity of American men, women and children has been widely publicized…[with] less attention given to the fact that persons with physical, emotional and sensory disabilities are nearly twice as likely to be obese as the general population.” The Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum was implemented at The Harbor House, whose motto is to “light the way for people with disabilities” by a SNAP-

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Volunteers of America Freedom House

Author: Emma Robinson

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Volunteers of America Freedom House

                                Volunteers of America Freedom HouseVolunteers of America Mid-States creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. Different communities have different needs. From housing solutions that keep homeless families together to helping displaced veterans get back on their feet, Volunteers of America Mid-States serves more than 21,000 people

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Adaptable Nutrition Education Programming in Jefferson County

Author: Caroline Durr

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

According to the most recent data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Service’s Report from December 2015, there were 110,516 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in Jefferson County (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Data Book, December 2015). To bridge the gap between providing access to nutritious foods and a lack of knowledge regarding healthy food preparation, nutrition education programs have been designed and implemented. The Kentuck

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