Reda E. Fugate

SNAP-ED Assistant Senior

Perry County, KY

What Happens When You Give a Kid a Seed?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Assistant Senior in Perry County partnered with the University of Kentucky Health Care Program to distribute seeds and gardening materials for Victory Gardens in Perry County during the pandemic. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on employment, food insecurity had greatly increased in the county. Also, the pandemic necessitated that all Nutrition Education classes be held virtually. These classes provide lessons on food safety, label reading, meal planning, eating better on a budget, and other topics. At the end of each series of virtual classes, participants were ask to drop by the Perry County Cooperative Extension Office to pick up a Grab and Go bag which included incentive items for their kitchen. A Grab and Go bag was also created for the kids in the family. In addition to information on healthy eating, handwashing and gardening, the bag included recipes, seeds, gardening gloves and gardening tools.

Upon receiving the Gardening Grab and Go bag, the family planted the seeds, watered and cared for the garden. In this way, the family learned by doing how food grew and the work involved in growing your own food. Once they harvested their vegetables, the SNAP-Ed Assistant Senior provided easy, nutritious recipes to use. Nutrition Education Program cooking videos were also available on social media for the families in Perry County. To help preserve their produce, the family also received a basic canning instruction publication created by University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

The family now is not only growing their own food, but harvesting, cooking, and preserving it. In this way, family gardens support a healthy life style, save money and increase food security. This is what happens when you give a kid a seed!