Food insecurity and poverty are both problematic throughout the America. In Kentucky specifically, 14.7% are living in poverty and 22.1% are living in poverty according to the U.S Census data from 2020. Montgomery County, KY is no different. There are families living in poverty and unsure where their next meal comes from. They often seek help from churches, food pantries, and other organizations available throughout the county. In response to this problem, the Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Sciences Program alongside the Montgomery County Health Department partnered to offer a 6-week program called Power of Produce Club. The Power of Produce (POP) Club provides a fun opportunity for children to engage in the local food system through conversations directly with farmers, educational games and demonstrations, and exposure to new fruits and vegetables. In addition to participating in educational activities, POP Club kids receive vouchers to spend at the market, allowing them to make their own shopping decisions at the market. Each participant between the ages of 4 years – 18 years old could earn POP Club dollars by sampling a food (often times a Plate It Up! KY Proud recipe), participating in a physical activity challenge, and taking a second bite of that recipe offered. Each activity was worth $2.00 each, meaning they could earn up to $6.00/visit. The dollars were to be spent that day at any Farmer’s Market vendor on only fresh fruits and/or vegetables.

Overall, there were 118 youth participants: 58 male, 60 female. 97.5% of those participants were white, 5.9% black or African American, and 1.7% listed as other. Majority (92%) of the participants sampled the recipe and asked for seconds. Both parents and farmer vendors loved this program and were hopeful it could be offered in the future.