Although I don’t believe anyone expected the Corornavirus impact would drag into 2021, the Kentucky State University SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator planned for prolonged virtual and online programming for our audiences, particularly, our youth. Last fall, we partnered with Organwise Guys nutrition education curriculum. Organwise had some of their curriculum online in 2019, but they sprang into action when the shutdown of 2020 began in order to partner with SNAP-Ed providers to offer their entire program online. Throughout our service area, we have partnered with nine schools and 13 educators to offer this program to their in person students as well as those students that are still in classes virtually. Thus far, we have met our partners needs for nutrition education through this program in a time when our program assistants weren’t able to offer classes in person. Our educators are able to log in, read the books, interact with the class and provide newsletters and handouts to the teacher via weekly dropoff so that parents can be aware or the program and engage with their students on what they are learning for further discussions. During this quarter, our team has enrolled a total of 906 youth in this amazing program and 192 have completed seven or more hours of nutrition education.

                Even as we look forward to a fall schedule where most schools anticipate returning to in person classrooms, many schools have implemented a policy of no visitors. By utilizing the SNAP-Ed approved curriculum, Organwise Guys, we will be able to continue to meet the needs of our partners either through face to face programming, if possible, or with the virtual tools we have been given through this pandemic.