Author: Abigail Ewing
Planning Unit: Jefferson County CES
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, the Jefferson County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Assistant had to adjust the format of the nutrition classes being offered. A new partnership with Goodwill's RISE (Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Everyday) program began in June 2020 virtually over the Zoom platform. The program is two weeks long and ends with a graduation ceremony where the participants share visions boards of their past, present, and future. The SNAP-Ed program assistant provides nutrition education on topics such as eating better on a budget, food safety, and reading labels using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum. To incorporate cooking into the virtual classes, the program assistant shares the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program YouTube cooking demonstration videos with the class. At the conclusion of the program, participants receive curriculum binders, reinforcement items, a UK bag and certificate, and a gift card from Goodwill. There are approximately two RISE cohorts each month. Since beginning over a year ago, there have been 20 2-week RISE cohorts up-to-date, 97 total participants graduating from the Nutrition Education Program. The RISE program has even expanded into other counties, and the Pike, Warren, and Fayette counties' Nutrition Education Program Assistants now teach in the program as well. A success story was shared by a program participant. She found out that she was diabetic and was going to need to pay for a nutritionist. However, after completing the UK's free Nutrition Education Program, she was able to receive helpful nutrition information and no longer needed to pay for a nutritionist. At the conclusion of the program year, 66% of participants showed increased intakes of both fruits and vegetables in Jefferson County. The RISE program has been an extremely successful and impactful partnership that began during a pandemic. It is a prime example of the importance of the Nutrition Education Program during both good times and difficult times.
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