According to Feeding America.org, Butler County’s food insecurity rate is 16.3%. Food insecurity is defined as lack of access to enough food for all members of a household to maintain health. It can be due to economic or social conditions limiting access to adequate foods. The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant along with The Department of Community Based Services, and the Butler County Family and Consumer Science Agent added Nutrition Education to the requirements of limited resource clients enrolled in parenting classes at the Butler County Extension Office.

One aspect of the series of classes the NEP assistant taught was to better utilize food resource management skills. This was an overall effort to help these families to not become food insecure during this phase of their lives.  100 percent of the 8 participants showed improvement in at least one area of food resource management. 50% reported they now compare food prices, 88% planning meals before shopping and 75% budget enough money for food purchases and check sales before shopping. There was only 1 out of 8 that did not have enough food to last. This indicates a change in overall behavior, and the necessity of teaching resource management skills to this clientele.

The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, The Department for Community Based Services, and the Butler County Family and Consumer Science Agent worked together to give these participants skills needed to make healthy budget friendly decisions for their families.