The University of Kentucky Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension improves the quality of individual and family life in the Commonwealth by promoting health and well-being through community education programs focused on individual and families.  FCS encourages individuals and families to make proactive choices to improve individual health and well-being.    

The Campbell County Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education Program area collaborated with… 1) all 4 branches of the Campbell County Library, 2) Mentoring Plus Youth Center in Newport, 3) St John Lutheran Church Food Pantry, 4) the Northern KY Area FCS Agents, and 5) the Campbell County Horticulture Department to teach the seven State Family & Consumer Sciences Education Initiatives to the southern, northern, and central parts of the county.  The seven FCS Initiatives consists of:  1) Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices, 2) Nurturing Families, 3) Embracing Life as You Age, 4) Securing Financial Stability, 5)   Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities, 6) Accessing Nutritious Food, and 7) Empowering Community Leaders.  

1. The Campbell County Extension Office and Public Library collaborated to promote Family & Consumer Sciences, the Nutrition Education Program, and the libraries’ top circulated cookbooks.   This was accomplished by setting up displays at all four branches of the library (Ft Thomas, Cold Spring, Alexandria, and Newport).   Books along with Plate It Up bookmarks and NEP recipes were at each display for participants to take as they checked out the cookbooks.  The project ran for a month and reached about 400 people.  The second program was The Power of Pets which was taught to Homeschool group (4 youth and 2 parent/teachers) and focused on the human-animal bond.   The group completed homemade dog toys to donate to the Greyhound Adoption of Greater Cincinnati.   The third program was Basic Embroidering which was taught to two classes (13 participants, both day and evening groups) and focused on basic stitches to complete a kit project.   The fourth program was Organizing and Cleaning and was taught to adult participants focusing on the A, B, C’s of Organizing and Clean focusing on both commercial and green cleaners.  Each participant completed a survey to identify their organizing style and equipped with UK homemade cleaning recipes along with a bottle to make their own cleaner at home.  
2. FCS worked with the Mentoring Plus Youth in Newport to focus on Goal Setting, All About You and Vision Boards.  This was a two-part program for 18 youth and their mentoring coaches.  One hundred percent of the youth & mentoring coaches completed setting their goals the age/stage of life and created both an All About Me and Vision Board.  The boards and their goals are hung on the wall in the center and used as a visual guide for each youth to complete.   
3. The Campbell County Extension FCS collaborated with the St John Food Pantry/USDA to assist people in the Melbourne, KY community with food preparation each month.  The Extension office also provided food preparation tools, publications and recipes for the pantry’s holiday events, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  Each month the pantry reaches about 60 participants/families and 60 participants/families at each of the holiday events as well.   Participants were able to use the recipes to created dishes/meals that matched the USDA foods they received from the panty.  Extension bags and kitchen pans and tools were utilized by the participants to create their dishes and meals as well.
4. Conflict Management was taught as part of the “It’s More Than Just Me” Homemaker Leadership Training.  Ronda Rex, Campbell County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, was part of the Area FCS team that conducted the training.  Ronda taught Conflict Management, which is a lesson from the Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD).  One hundred percent of the 33 participants took a brief survey to determine their Conflict Management Style and 97% reported that they feel they are better able to manage conflict more effectively in their life because of the session.   
5. Salad Greens and Asparagus was taught by Ronda Rex to the Master Gardeners/public which consisted of 29 participants.  Ronda focused on buying, storage, and preparation of both spring crops.   She demonstrated Plate It Up and NEP recipes and focused on food preparation tips from UK publications.  The participants sampled each of the recipes demonstrated and aspired to try the recipes at home.   

Mentoring Plus Youth with their boards

Homemade Dog Toys being made by youth at the Ft Thomas Library.  

Embroidery for Beginners at the Ft Thomas Library