Grant County KY has an adult obesity rate of 35.6% and a physical activity rate of 30.2%. Families were experiencing additional struggles due to staying home because of the COVID pandemic. In order to reach out to families who couldn’t meet in person, the Grant County Nutrition Education Program, and the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent collaborated to offer a series of virtual classes using the Healthy Choices Curriculum, Weight the Reality Series and Small Steps to Health and Wealth Programs.  Using Facebook Live, classes were offered weekly.  The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent offered classes on making small changes and the SNAP-Ed assistant offered two classes each week from the Healthy Choices Curriculum.  Classes included My Plate, Know the Limits, Labels, Food Safety, Breakfast, Budget, Meal Planning, and Cooking is Easy.  Along with the lessons, instructional videos on cooking and knife skills were included.  “How to” videos with budget friendly recipes were provided from University of Kentucky PlanEatMove.com and ChooseMyPlate.gov.  Physical activity tips were shared with each class.  The program was offered entirely virtually for the first time.  Clients and instructors were able to communicate through Facebook and by phone when needed.  

Since the classes were offered virtually, clients who normally would not come to the office participated.   Fifty percent of the audience were an underserved Extension demographic.  As a result of the class, 100% of the ten participants improved their diet including 67% who began cooking dinner at home more often.  Food safety improved with 70% using a meat thermometer more often.   Also, 70% of participants were making small changes to be more active by the end of the series. One client stated, “I’m trying to move more, I also put more colored veggies on my shopping list so this is a win!”  Another participant stated “these classes keep us connected.”  Clients were excited to have the opportunity to attend a free class virtually.