From listening to clients of extension programs with disabilities, a unique collaboration to provide new programming arose. To address the lack of transportation or limited access to buildings downtown, the Cumberland County Extension Service Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with Lake Cumberland Community Action and Cumberland County Soil Conservation to offer programs that are more accessible to this clientele. Offering classes at the Soil Conservation office near low-income public housing and adult day care center provided wheelchair accessibility and proximity to participants in need of this program. 

The NEP program assistant and community partners implemented the Garden to Plate program in May and had classes through September.  

Classes implemented Healthy Choices for Every Body, a curriculum developed by the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) at the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service focused on encouraging healthy eating, using locally grown produce, and teaching how to supplement the commodities by growing their own food. Additional resources included the University of Kentucky USDA Farmers Market cookbook, which the soil conservation office used to help with classes on produce gardening, planting seasons, and harvesting. Cumberland County Soil Conservation provided content on composting, pollinator gardens, and water-saving gardens. Recipes focused on using food from the garden, and commodities were prepared and sampled by class participants. 

Data from the post-surveys showed:  

1. All participants improved in at least one food group 100%  
2. 67% of the participants improved their physical activity  
3. 78% of participants improved their food safety and Food Resource Management skills   
4. Total cost savings within the group were $25.00  

Building on this success, we are excited for our next step, a Community Garden Grant at the Soil Conservation office.