Success StoryOpportunities Available Through Partnership with The Opportunity Center



Opportunities Available Through Partnership with The Opportunity Center

Author: Kelly Bland

Planning Unit: Ohio County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

Life skills, like the ability to plan a meal and fix it for yourself, come easy to most adults.  However, when you are a special needs adult, those skills may not come so easy.   According to the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Daviess County has 15.6% of their population with some sort of disability.  To assist with meeting the needs of this population of adults, the Daviess County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) partnered with The Opportunity Center to provide cooking classes to their clients.   

The Opportunity Center began around 1955 and works to provide vocational and daily living oriented training to adults with disabilities.  They currently serve 30 adults daily, on average.  To meet the needs of all the adults, the Daviess County NEP Assistant divided the class into 2 groups.  One group would travel to the Daviess County Extension office for nutrition lessons and hands-on cooking experiences, while the second group would receive their lessons at the Opportunity Center facility.   Both groups learned about MyPlate, the five food groups, basic meal planning tips, food safety, and making good food choices.  

The response to the partnership has been positive!  The director of the Opportunity Center stated, “Clients seem to enjoy it and being involved with something new!  The Daviess County NEP Assistant is great with coming up with different ideas to get our clients to try new foods.  That’s a good thing.”  






Stories by Kelly Bland


Recipe Club a hit with participants

Recipe Club a hit with participants

about 3 years ago by Kelly Bland

When planning meals for your family, it can be difficult to think of something to fix them every day... Read More


Partnership with Recovery

about 2 years ago by Kelly Bland

Its important for everyone to have good nutritional habits, but its vital for those recovering from ... Read More


Stories by Ohio County CES


Ag Development Funds Improves Operation Efficiency

about 2 years ago by Gregory Comer

Over the last 5 years, over $500,000 have been invested in agricultural improvement /diversifica... Read More


Improved Beef Management

about 2 years ago by Gregory Comer

The “2016 National Beef Quality Assurance Audit” showed that food safety and how/where cattle are ... Read More


Stories by Nutrition and Food Systems General


Peter Rabbit Teaches Nutrition

Peter Rabbit Teaches Nutrition

about 2 years ago by Karen Denniston

According to kentuckyhealthfacts.org, only 10% of Kentuckians eat the recommended amounts of fruits ... Read More


Spreading the Word About SNAP-Ed

Spreading the Word About SNAP-Ed

about 2 years ago by LaToya Drake

The Cooperative Extension Service is known in some circles as “ the best-kept secret.” The Extension... Read More