Our own Dr. Nicole Breazeale along with CLD Alumna, Bethany Pratt, working together with a team of Extension Faculty, Staff, and Agents/Assistants across ANR, NEP, FCS, 4-H, Community Arts, & CLD to support the expansion of coordinated gardening and nutrition education at local Substance Use Recovery Centers around the state.

This project was supported by a Kentucky Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop grant, which, in 2024, funded 17 sites where Extension Agents and Nutrition Education Assistants are doing this collaborative work. They have produced a 164-page toolkit that highlights the importance of leadership development with those in recovery, the need to develop collaborative partnerships with recovery center administrators, among many other CLD and related topics.  They have fostered a Community of Practice and provide training and 1:1 support for the Extension personnel working in this space.  Program results through Ripple Effects Mapping detail a wide range of benefits and community-level impacts.  

"From 8 recovery gardens in 2023 to 10 in 2024, KYNEP's expanded support has empowered more Kentuckians in substance use recovery with hands-on gardening and nutrition education.  With $1500 grants now available per site, this program is fostering lasting change -- helping families grow fresh food, build skills, and improve diet quality across 28 counties and 34 garden sites statewide."    LaToya Drake - Extension Specialist for Food Access