The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP-Ed) assistant has been working with recovery centers in Lawrence County for nine years. The SNAP-Ed assistant educates residents on making healthy food choices, how to prepare fresh produce, and food safety using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum.  Eight years ago, the residents from the first established recovery facility built raised- beds with the help from the SNAP-Ed Assistant and Lawrence County Agriculture and Natural Resource (ANR) Extension Agent.

This year, the Lawrence County ANR Agent partnered with both NEP assistants to expand the raised-bed gardens at five recovery care facilities in Lawrence County. They received a Recovery Garden grant from the UK Nutrition Education Program in the amount of $1,500.00 to build new raised-beds and supply vegetable plants, soil and other supplies. The ANR agent and NEP assistants constructed a total of eleven, 4x8 raised beds.  The residents helped filled them with gardening soil and planted tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, and cucumbers.

The recovery center residents have maintained the raised-beds, harvested the produce, and used the produce to supplement their meals. These residents have learned the basics of gardening and the health benefits from gardening, such as being physically active, responsibility, team work, and a means of relieving stress.

Throughout the growing season, the SNAP-Ed assistant has enrolled 17 families from five recovery centers that have worked with the raised-bed gardens.  The residents have kept a weekly log of the poundage harvested which has been approximately 116 pounds of produce to date.