COVID-19...

In a short matter of time, Extension programs as we know came to a halt. Events, clubs, and programs were cancelled in their traditional manner and agents began planning and preparing ways to continue to reach clientele. With schools and many businesses being closed and both students and parents working from home, a strain to maintain a sense of "normalcy" emerged for both youth and adults.

As Extension Agents, we are familiar with adapting to any situation and meeting the needs of our clientele in any scenario. Extension Programs TO-GO! was launched as an attempt to keep families and community members connected, informed, and educated during a time of crises and uncertainty.   Carlisle County FCS and Ag agents, with their SNAP-Ed Assistant, collaborated to provide publications, materials, recipes and activities.  Grab Bag programs ranged in topic, such as: beginner gardening, cooking as a family, food safety, berry growth and preservation, baking, germs, and imaginative play.  Weekly bags were left in routinely traveled locations such as local post offices and grocery stores, to discourage additional travel and exposure during times of quarantine and isolation.  More than 500 Program TO-GO! bags were distributed and received by local residents.