As our SNAP-Ed Program Assistants continue to build community relationships, it is clear that the work to be done in our service area is tremendous. One area of focus for our team is recovery centers. The opiod (and other substances) epidemic in Kentucky places our state in the top 3 states for illegal drug use in the United States according to a recent KET Documentary, Journey To Recovery.

We serve a residential center in Montgomery County and learned quickly that the center didn’t have any real access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The center relies largely on the SNAP benefits of those in treatment (that are eligible), donations, and low cost, shelf stable foods to feed its residents. After meeting with the center director, SNAP-Ed began to seek out funding to not only help with fresh produce, but to begin a garden project.

The SNAP-Ed Coordinator applied for a grant through the Kentucky State University Center for Sustainable Family Farming program to fund the startup of this project. The grant was approved and work began in late 2018. The grant provided for supplies such as fencing, tools, seeds, and plants. We were also able to purchase a small greenhouse, fruit trees, and grape vines in large part to the local Lowe’s management team. Our SNAP-Ed program assistant was discussing the supplies and project with a manager there. When they became aware of our plan, they offered deep discounts on many of the items being purchased, giving additional buying opportunity with the funding available.

The garden project has had a phenomenal impact at the center. The director is thrilled with the overall plan of sustainability, skill building, nutrition education and budgeting tips. He shares often that the men love being able to use their hands and spend time “outside of their head”. Most have never experienced the benefits of gardening and the pride of growing food from the seed up. It gives a real connection to their food system.

Our SNAP-Ed program assistant spends time with the residents inside conducting nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, and resource management. Cooking is also a skill that many of the residents never learned and really enjoy. They are responsible for their own meal preparation and have incorporated many of the recipes from our demonstrations into their menu rotation. She also dedicates time weekly to being in the garden. Hands on learning is especially important for most of our clients.

As the garden production flourishes, we continue with a canning/ food preservation class to emphasize food security, resource management, and continue skill building. The grant provided for canners and supplies to make this segment possible.