Roughly 36% of Kentucky’s population is over the age of 50 and the state has one of the highest percentages of people aged 30 and over raising grandchildren. According to the Kids Count database, in 2021 there were 58,000 or 6% of children in the state of Kentucky being raised by their grandparents compared to 4% overall for the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 104,954 grandparents living with their own grandchildren under 18 years of age. The percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren under the age of 18 who are responsible for their grandchildren is 51.4%. Boone County was one of 10 Extension offices throughout the state to receive $1,000 from Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK) through a grant from AARP. The Kentucky grant was one of 246 nationwide to receive funding through AARP from a pool of more than 3,500 applicants. The purpose of this grant was to celebrate grandparents and the role they play in the lives of children. The funds were to be used to plant trees or plants, build library boxes, or any combination of these things.

As a result of this information and the above-mentioned grant, the Boone County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences partnered with the Boone County Extension Agent for Natural Resources and Environment to conduct the program, Growing Better Together with Grandparents. The agent for Family and Consumer Sciences served as the facilitator of the program. It was decided to spend the funding on planting an urban pollinator garden. The Boone County Extension Agents collaborated with the Arboretum on Wheels to provide additional educational opportunities during the program as well as provided additional program support funding for the Boone County Nutrition Education Program assistants to be able to provide a healthy lunch offering to participants. There were 44 people who attended the program, out of which 23 were grandchildren. Participants worked together to plant 28 different types of pollinator plants and learned about different types of pollinators in the Boone County area from the agent for Natural Resources and Environment. Children were also able to create plant labels for the pollinator garden which the agent for Family and Consumer Sciences assisted with as well as discussed spending quality time together as a family. The Arboretum on Wheels was set up at our location and discussed animal and plant adaptations and ecosystems. The Boone County Nutrition Education Program assistants discussed creating healthy meals while providing a healthy, budget-friendly, and well-balanced lunch to all who attended. Participants were able to name multiple examples of pollinators at the end of the program. Educational handouts were provided including information on best plants for pollinators, healthy nutrition, and the handout Parenting and Caregiving Over 50 supplied by PCAK and each participant left with a pollinator plant seed pack. This program allowed for numerous educational opportunities while also allowing grandparents to spend quality time with their grandchildren on a beautiful Saturday morning. 

Remarks shared by participants included: 

“It was wonderful.”

“It was nice.”

“This was so good for my grandson.”

“This really increased awareness for me and the kids.”

“We got to eat healthy”