According to assessment data collected through the Centers for Disease Control 1416 grant, Logan County has an obesity rate of 43.5% and Kentucky continues to rank in the top ten most obese states across all ages. In addition, Logan County has a poverty rate of 19.7% and a food insecurity rate of 15.2 %.  With these statistics, there are 4,589 individuals receiving SNAP benefits in Logan County and 56% of students in the county are eligible for the school feeding program.  These issues must be addressed in order to improve the health and quality of life for the citizens of our community. To address this need in Logan County, Logan County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences and the Logan County SNAP-Ed Assistant partnered together to offer Logan County residents opportunities to learn more about fresh produce to improve diet, sample healthy recipes and receive the recipe cards for those recipes in hopes to improve their food choices and food insecurity.  The Family and Consumer Sciences agent and SNAP-Ed Assistant offered three Plate It Up events during the fall of 2017 at local grocery stores.  Each event provided an opportunity for consumers to learn about fresh produce as well as sample a Plate It Up Kentucky Proud recipe using a specific commodity that was in season during that time period and receive the recipe card to accompany that recipe.  The Extension Agent also worked with store managers to highlight the particular commodity being used in the recipe for that event.  Fifty-seven individuals participated in the events representing a mix of racial, ethnic, age and gender groups. Data received over the course of the program and through a post program survey indicated the following:

79% indicated they were more likely to buy that particular Kentucky fruit or vegetable as a result of tasting the recipe sample

53% indicated that the taste test contributed to their plan to try the recipe at home

88% indicated that the recipe cards would help them evaluate their nutritional needs

In addition to data received through these events we also experienced a personal success story.  At one of our Plate It Up events we had a graduate student with us asking individuals to participate in a survey to collect data on fresh produce consumption.  In return for completing a survey and providing us a copy of their receipt of purchase they were given a $25 store gift card.  On this particular day a man visited our table requesting to complete a survey in order to receive a gift card so he could purchase some groceries.  He was unaware that he had to make a purchase as well in order to get the gift card.  He explained to us that he had no money and the store manager has just bought him a loaf of bread.  We told him that if he could get the manager to give him a receipt for the loaf of bread he could complete the survey and get the gift card.  He was able to get the receipt so he got a gift card.  He was so appreciative of the gift card and immediately began carefully grocery shopping for the exact items his family needed for that amount of money.  In the meantime, a shopper that knew of the situation decided to turn in her receipt of purchase, complete a survey and asked us to give him her gift card.  When we gave him the second gift card he broke down in tears in the store while he was shopping.  After he checked out with all of his groceries he came back to our table and thanked us repeatedly in tears for providing for him that day.  He had come to the store with no money for groceries, was going to leave with only a loaf of bread, but instead was able to purchase $50 in groceries for his family.