The drug epidemic in Eastern Kentucky has been on the steady rise over the last 10 years and the number of Addiction Recovery Care centers (ARC) in Lawrence County alone have tripled. Lawrence County Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Senior Assistant has been working in the recovery centers for over 10 years.  The EFNEP Senior assistant teaches residents lessons from the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum, which focuses on how to make healthy food choices using MyPlate; limit sodium, sugars and fats in the diet; prepare fresh produce; plan meals on a budget; and follow food safety practices. Seven years ago, the Lawrence County Master Gardeners established raised-bed gardens for people to use in the city of Louisa.   For the past several years, no one had been utilizing the raised beds which are adjacent to the Lackey ARC facility.  So, this spring, the men at Lackey ARC center were given permission to grow vegetables in the raised beds.  The men filled the raised beds with gardening soil and straw and then planted tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon and cucumbers.   Plants were provided by Lawrence County Cooperative Extension Service and the University of KY Nutrition Education Program.

The recovery center residents maintain the raised beds; care for the crops; harvest the produce and prepare produce for meals.    Not only have residents gained health and nutritional benefits from the consumption of vegetables; but also, learned other benefits from gardening.  Hence, they have increased physical activity, reduced stress, developed a sense of responsibility and learned how to work together as a team to accomplish goals.

The Lawrence County EFNEP Senior Assistant is continually working with the men at the Lackey ARC center and oversees the raised-bed gardens throughout the growing season.  Plans are underway for planting and harvesting fall crops. This year, six men from Lackey ARC enrolled and graduated from the EFNEP program. To date, residents have harvested over 100+ pounds of produce this summer.