It’s no surprise that Americans have been stressed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been said that we are in a mental health crisis because our everyday lives have changed drastically and human contact has been limited. According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 8 out of 10 adults say the Coronavirus pandemic is a significant source of stress in their life and 2 out of 3 said they have experienced increased stress over the course of the pandemic. However, studies show that working with your hands to do crafting projects decreases stress significantly. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy published a study that reported 81% of respondents with depression reported feeling happy after knitting.

An area-wide program was developed for Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox, Laurel, Jackson, Rockcastle, and Whitley Counties to address mental health issues. Each county gave information on the importance of doing stress-relieving projects with your hands and gave a sample project kit for the community to try. The “Holiday Ideas” program booklet and videos were created by the Family and Consumer Sciences Agents in the above-listed counties in Kentucky. The kits were given out in a socially distance-friendly manner and videos were available online for 6 of the projects. An approximate total of 250 kits was given out across the area.

Evaluation data from the Holiday Ideas program showed that 42% of those in our Area experienced some sort of stress due to COVID-19 and was concerned about the upcoming holidays. As a result of this program, 89% reported they learned new tips or skills when it came to stress management. On the same lines, 86% has put some stress management tips into practice in their lives because of this Holiday Ideas Area program. This program was a great success and the Area Family and Consumer Sciences Agents plan on repeating it this year to address stress management concerns in their communities.