In an effort to outreach with needed programs in a COVID safe manner, the Dining with Diabetes (DWD) program series was offered in summer 2020, to Metcalfe County Extension program stakeholders through the Facebook Live closed group, virtual platform.  Lynn Blankenship, Metcalfe Co. Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education taught three of the four, live virtual sessions and taught the UK FCS Extension Eating Healthy Around the Holidays program in December, with the group for a 6 month, post program follow - up session.   Heather Shaw, Metcalfe County Nutrition Education Program Assistant – senior, taught one of the four live, virtual DWD sessions to the participants.  

Eleven people participated in the Facebook live, Dining with Diabetes closed group program. Live sessions were streamed and recorded four Thursdays in a row, at 10 a.m. CDT.  Participants had the whole week to access the recorded session, if unable to participate in the live stream.  Each live stream had an average of 4 participants watching.  Chat was monitored by NEP Program Assistant for FCS Agent’s broadcasts and by the Agent for the NEP Assistant's livestreamed session.  Supplemental University of Kentucky Nutrition and Diabetes related publications, diabetic friendly Plate – It – Up Kentucky Proud recipes and dining with diabetes recipe demonstration videos from the University of Delaware, were  shared via the closed Facebook group.   Several participants requested hard copies of the UKFCS “Kentucky Favorites the Low Fat Way” and “Carbohydrate Counting” publications.

This FCS Agent converted the pre and post program evaluations into online format through Qualtrics, though not all participants were able to access it online.   Individuals who requested hard copies were mailed both the pre and post program evaluations.  Evaluation results showed for all respondents, increase in both knowledge and skills around the Idaho Plate method of eating, being physically active for at least 30 minutes each day of the week, goal setting and checking their feet, on a daily basis.  Three participants self-reported to this agent, weight loss from 4 – 9 pounds that they attributed to the nutrition behavior changes made from knowledge gained through participating in the virtual Dining with Diabetes program.