Success StoryStrengthening Community Relationships during Tornado Relief



Strengthening Community Relationships during Tornado Relief

Author: Emily Matthews

Planning Unit: Barren County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

Following tornado damage that hit areas of Barren County in December of 2021 the Barren County

Nutrition Education Program assistant realized families without electricity in areas might

have questions about food in their refrigerators or freezers. The Nutrition Education Program assistant

took the Be Food Safe During Emergencies booklets to the City Hall of Park City and to Isiah 43 Christian

Counseling’s donation center in Cave City. While dropping booklets off, the Barren County

Nutrition Education Program could see that help was needed. Families from our area that were

impacted by the tornado were housed at the Barren River Lake State Park Lodge. The partnership

between the Barren River Lake State Park and the Barren County Cooperative Extension Service

Nutrition Education Program Assistant began to help coordinate relief items for low-income families

without means of transportation to the donation center 40 minutes away in Cave City. In the following

weeks, the Barren County Nutrition Education Program was able to build relationships with multiple

county organizations and agencies through disaster relief community meetings such as Emergency

Management, Community Relief of Barren County, BRIDGE KY, and BLDG Cave City.






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