Since 1981 the International Center of Bowling Green, KY has helped resettle over 10,000 refugees and immigrants worldwide.  The center helps in assimilation and integration into community life. In September, a case manager at the International Center approached the Warren County Extension Agents, requesting nutrition education classes to teach healthy eating habits to lower the risk of diabetes and hypertension, chronic diseases of the international community. 

All five county extension agents of the Warren County Cooperative Extension Office responded as a team to provide a 6-week educational series utilizing the “Healthy Choices for Everybody” curriculum. The series included introducing local foods, food preparation, and how to create balanced meals.  

A total of nine Swahili-speaking refugees with less than one year of residency participated in the nutrition series. A translator was contracted through the International Center to translate the two-hour educational sessions. Participants were introduced to MyPlate, healthy American foods, and the importance of eating them to promote good healthy habits. The Extension Agents also introduced basic cooking skills by teaching them how to prepare and cook Plan Eat Move recipes. 

Surprisingly, the participants seemed unfamiliar with how to wash their hands before food prep and unfamiliar with using a can opener (a staple in American society).  After the program, 100% of participants practiced proper hand washing and demonstrated how to use a can opener. They also demonstrated chopping skills for food prep and how to read a thermometer for food safety.  

During the program, the participants revealed that navigating grocery stores was a barrier to proper nutrition.  In response to this need, agents conducted a grocery store field trip, walking them through the store, pointing out fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and grains, and answering any questions they had about food. At the end of this class, one program participant said, “thank you for taking the time to teach us about American food, how to choose foods for good nutrition and how to prepare it, we really learned a lot”.