During the 2016-2017 program year the Edmonson County SNAP-Ed Assistant piloted a program utilizing Facebook LIVE to teach the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum to limited resource residents of Edmonson County. Due to the lack of public transportation in a rural county, limited number of program facilities, and residents leaving the county for work, this program was utilized to overcome those barriers in Edmonson County.

The SNAP-Ed Assistant piloted two programs using Facebook LIVE to deliver each of the required lessons for this curriculum to 22 limited resource families in Edmonson County. These participants were part of a private group on Facebook where they were able to watch the lessons LIVE, or at their own convenience. Each lesson consisted of the lesson materials, online visuals, and a food demonstration. They were also given the opportunity to ask the SNAP-Ed Assistant questions LIVE, and were able to provide feedback. At the end of the series they attended a meet and greet in person, where they completed their EXIT recall, had a recipe tasting, and received their reinforcement items, such as cooking utensils for completing the program.

Healthy Choices for Every Body LIVE phase 1 consisted of 11 graduates. These 11 graduates showed 100% positive change in any food group upon exit. 66% of these graduates showed improvement in one or more resource management practices. 50% of these graduates showed improvement in one or more of their food safety practices, and 70% improved in one or more of their diet quality and overall nutrition practices.

Healthy Choices for Every Body LIVE phase 2 consisted of 11 graduates. These 11 graduates showed 91% positive change in any food group upon exit. 71% of these graduates showed improvement in one or more resource management practices. 60% of these graduates showed improvement in one or more of their food safety practices, and 55% improved in one or more of their diet quality and overall nutrition practices.

Participate feedback was wonderful. One participant said, “I was thankful for being able to utilize this program at my own convenience. I am not able to attend in person classes due to battling cancer, but I was able to watch the videos during my chemo treatments. I learned a lot from these classes, and a now have a better understanding for my food choices during my battle with cancer.” Another participant said, “I wouldn’t have been able to attend these classes in person due to lack of transportation, so I was very excited to see that I could watch the videos during my morning walk.”

The SNAP-Ed assistant invited a participant who previously graduated from this program, and had attended in person, to be a part of the group, although they were not enrolled as a participant. This participant said, “It was nice to see all of the participants in the group, as it is hard to get them to show up in person. The SNAP-Ed Assistant was very consistent and taught the programs as if you were sitting there in person. It was nice to be able to watch the videos while I was winding down for bed.”

The Edmonson County SNAP-Ed Assistant is currently helping pilot the program in another county, with the hopes to see this delivery method utilized across the state.