The road to recovery is one paved with hard work and determination.  Along the road, many in the recovery process encounter roadblocks and obstacles.  Nutrition can be a roadblock to those who don’t even know how to begin to eat healthy, or even making their food dollars stretch to the end of the month.   This is why Owensboro Regional Recovery has partnered with the Daviess County Nutrition Education Program to make the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum part of their graduation process from their recovery program.  However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, classes had to be paused for the gentlemen at Owensboro Regional Recovery.  The Daviess County NEP assistant, and the Education Coordinator at ORR, teamed up to continue to offer the classes to the men via Zoom.  

            Classes have been held twice a month, having held, and graduated, 5 classes from April to September 2020.  That comes to a total of 42 men who have been able to complete, and graduate, from the Healthy Choices classes, and continue their process on the road to graduation from Owensboro Regional Recovery.   Upon exiting, 95% of these men had an increase in diet quality; 75% had an increase in physical activity; and 86% had an increase in food safety.  Classes plan to continue via Zoom, until in person classes can be held. 

            Two of the men commented: 

            “Thank you for still teaching us, even if it’s not in person.  I can’t wait to make this Enchilada Rice for my kids!”

            “I liked learning about what I should be eating.  Before I got clean, I would skip meals all the time, and never touch a fruit or vegetable.  I’ve started eating more vegetables since taking your class.”