In July 2022, a historic flash flood hit in Knott County, Kentucky. Twenty-one people lost their lives, and over 100 families were displaced by this disaster.  Some left the county and others went into intermediate housing provided by the state and FEMA. This intermediate housing was an RV trailer that was placed at a county campground or an ATV Park.  These RV's gave the families limited ways to cook and store food. The refrigerators in the RV's were much smaller than the families were used to. Many reported losing food because they had nowhere to keep foods cold. Many also reported having a hard time getting the propane oven to cook right since it was a very small oven. The RVs also had griddles on the outside that the families said would not work right.  Water was also very limited in the RV's.  This was a challenge in getting dishes washed and ensuring handwashing. Families were also eating out a lot because they did not know what to do about this new cooking adventure, even though they really did not have the money to do this.

After talking to the families about these cooking issues, I decided to offer classes at the parks where they lived to help them cook creatively with the new and unfamiliar resources they were given.  I went to both locations and taught about food safety, outdoor cooking, propane cooking,  and gave residents recipes they could use while living in the RV's. I also went to each RV and talked with each family about issues they were having and continued to teach them one on one.  

As a result of my teaching visits, families reported that they were using the recipes that I brought. Many told me they were eating out less. Two families told me that they enjoyed cooking outside with their kids. One mother told me that her child enjoyed helping her cut vegetables for a recipe she learned how to prepare as a result of the classes and one on one teaching.