The Family Center has expanded its services through the addition of Kailey Cunningham as nutrition education coordinator.  This position is a partnership with the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Nutrition Education Programs (NEP).  "Providing service for our own employees is a priority," said Liz Buckner, NEP Director, "Healthier lifestyles lead to better work productivity and less absences for a healthier UK."

The idea to offer nutrition education classes at the Family Center was originally promoted by Dr. Ann Vail, Director of the School of Human Environmental Sciences.  The advantage of offering such classes at the Family Center are: it allows for privacy, provides support from UK, and the classes are a part of Family and Consumer Sciences Extension.   Through these outlets there are excellent avenues for marketing.

Tracey Werner-Wilson, Family Center Director, stated ""Kailey has been a great addition to the Family Center programming and staff. Her ideas for eating healthy on a budget are practical and delicious. Kailey is available to meet with people individually or in the group setting. We are excited to be able to offer this service to the employees of UK. "

Kailey's role as nutrition education coordinator is to design and implement educational sessions for UK employees and students. As of now, she has developed a total of four lessons, which were offered in the fall 2010 semester, with a focus of healthy eating on a budget. 

For the spring semester three lessons will be offered:

  • "Healthy Snacks: Plan Ahead and Prepare for Success,"
  • "Not Enough Money? How to Stretch Your Food Dollar" and
  • "Fast Food: Make Healthier Choices on the Go."

Each lesson will be offered twice in Scovell Hall to UK employees and students and once in the Peterson Service Building to employees in that area.  The lessons are free of charge.  The first sessions will be offered on February 16th & 18th at 12:00 in 210 Scovell Hall.

Please contact Kailey to set up individual appointments. She can be reached at (859) 257-7755 or kmcunn3@uky.edu.

The Family Center, is an on-campus Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic that offers assistance to families, couples, and individuals. As a training center, therapy services are provided by graduate students specializing in marriage and family therapy. The students are closely supervised by faculty who are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Posted: February 9, 2011