In the 2020-21 program year, the Pike County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program was faced with many challenges.  The largest challenge facing the program was the inability to hold in-person workshops for families in need.  FCS Extension Programs in Pike County reach every corner of our population. Because we provide education on a family basis, we potentially reach everyone. 

          Due to COVID-19 programming restrictions, in-person contact was prohibited and classes were cancelled. The FCS team consisting of the FCS agent, FCS assistant and EFNEP assistant continued to serve our county’s at-risk populations with educational programming “kits”. We designed kits that could be picked-up at our office or mailed if necessary due to client’s distance from the office.

          Educational kits this year were successful because they exposed many new people to Extension programming. Because our kits were no-cost and widely advertised, more community members became aware of what was being offered. Additionally, we provided holistic family programming that helped family units bond, communicate, play, explore, share and cook together as they may not have done before. For our SNAP recipients, maintaining contact with them while incarcerated and in recovery centers helped them maintain some contact with the outside world and continue their skill-building.

          Our educational kits and packets took many shapes and forms over the programming year. Some adult kits were workbooks and paper.   Some children’s kits were full of art supplies. Topics included: Pre-school playdough discovery, Germs Germs Germs, Learn to Sew on a Button, Honey Bee discovery, Family Game Night (math), Snack Time with Wally-Cat, Staying Positive with water color art, Bird Seed ornament, and Herb planting. Weekly mailings to SNAP participants contained information on healthy eating, food budgeting, food safety, physical activity and other important topics.

          In the 2020-21 program year, the Pike County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program reached over 3560 families with educational kits. One participant said, “I really enjoyed making the bird feeder! My grandchildren helped me with the kit and now they are excited to see what birds we get this winter.” Another participant family said they “loved cooking together as a family” and having a youth-friendly cookbook that went with their math lesson helped reinforce concepts needed for classroom work.