During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kentuckians experienced a new medium of staying connected and developed a unique way of interacting with their local Cooperative Extension Offices and Agents. The Family Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension has gradually developed their online presence on social platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, as the importance and connectedness of these technologies evolved as well. However, the unprecedented shift the coronavirus pandemic forced families’ and individual’s behavior required all forms of connectedness and communication to be virtual. The resiliency, stability, and resourcefulness of the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service stepped up in response, as all programming was immediately delivered and dependent on virtual and social platforms to reach communities.

Over the last decade, social media has expanded in a substantial capacity and has become a commonplace method of socializing, communicating, and networking in daily life today. The FCS Facebook page’s engagement increased 264% since March 2020 reaching over 1.3 million accounts, while the Instagram account increased 120% and nearly 25,000 account. The social media management team expanded in response as the virtual dependence for resources and programming to guide individuals through the challenges of the pandemic continued. Through weekly webinars, creative educational materials and topics, the social media team delivered a wide variety of information to a wide audience of viewers.

During the last year, a number of new programs were launched by FCS which have remained as successful and desired among participants. This included the first ever Big Blue Book Club, with guided discussions via Zoom and a newly created private Facebook group for participants to connect and share at their leisure. At the start of the new year, Big Blue Goals was launched virtually to encourage sustainable healthy lifestyle changes over the course of the first three months of the year as one of the largest launches and participation ever. The FCS nutrition specialists and associates got creative and broadcasted live cooking demonstrations, tips for getting kids involved in the kitchen, how to stretch your dollar, and how to build a staple kitchen pantry.

2020 ignited innovative and useful programs for individuals and families across the state, yet the successful delivery of these resources predicated on the management and communication efforts of the social media team. As social media continues to connect and reach new heights of integration in personal and professional spheres, FCS moved the needle to effectively react and deliver information by maintaining and increasing their social presence, as the engagement and growth across the platforms exponentially grew.