Scott County Extension Office Partners with State and National Organizations: PCAK and AARP

Roughly 36% of Kentucky’s population is over the age of 50. Kentucky has one of the highest percentages of people aged 30 and over raising grandchildren. According to the Kentucky School Board Association, we must work to support and understand this new family demographic. 

With this in mind, the Scott County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences applied for a grant with the help of the University of Kentucky State Specialist. 

Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAK) and the state office of AARP announced Alivia Faris, Scott County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, as the recipient of this grant funding to help grandparents, while simultaneously beautifying the community. Scott County Extension is one of 10 Extension offices throughout the state to receive $1,000 from PCAK, through its grant from AARP. The Kentucky grant is one of only 246 selected nationwide from a pool of more than 3,500. The project, Growing Better Together with Grandparents, grows relations, communities, minds, flowers, and trees.

The grant funded a Scott County Grandparents and Grandchildren community project. The project consisted of a library box, which will be placed in Stamping Ground; and provided the opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to design/decorate flowerpots (where seeds were planted) to help beautify the community in Scott County.

“We hope this grant will spark conversation in the community regarding the important role grandparents are playing in raising their grandchildren. We are thankful to AARP, Ms. Faris, and everyone at the Scott County Extension Service for the opportunity to spread this message,” said Jill Seyfred, Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky.

“We are incredibly excited to support Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky as they work to make immediate improvements, encourage promising ideas and jumpstart a long-term change in Scott County,” said Charlotte Whittaker, AARP Kentucky volunteer State President.