Success StoryFamily Bags 2020



Family Bags 2020

Author: Shannon Smith

Planning Unit: Bracken County CES

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

Plan of Work: Healthy Families, Healthy Individuals

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The beginning of 2020 began like any year with Extension, spring and summer programs had been planned and scheduled, supplies had been ordered, but in March everything came to an abrupt stop.  Due to COVID 19 global pandemic Kentuckians were forced to quarantine at home, with youth and families spending more time together.  Extension offices were empty and face to face programs were cancelled.   The Bracken County Extension Office came up with weekly family bags to help educate and fill the time spent at home with quality programming.   This program ran from March through July of 2020.   Each week bags were put together based on a topic, a video was recorded and shared on social media and families were able to pick them up outside of the Bracken Office in a no contact format.  This event was coordinated with the school lunch pick up times to help ease family’s transportation.  By doing this they could get both the school lunches as well as the family bags in one trip.   In the five months of the program over 700 bags were handed out.  Topics included were Gardening, Science Activities, Meal Planning, Budget 101, Food Safety, Hand Washing, and Farmers Market, Plate it Up, Character Education, Physical Activity, and Healthy Snacks.  In each bag all 3 program areas were included with each agent finding publications and/or some activities.  We received many positive comments and social media interaction.  One family when playing the bean game stated, “I did not realize how much money I was spending.” Another family used the garden kits to grow veggies for the first time ever.  As an office we feel that during this unprecedented time we continued to offer programs to our clientele in a new and inventive way.






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