Families and Health

Kerri Wade, Extension Educator

Find healthy recipes for your family to enjoy.

Community Educational Outreach Service (CEOS)

The primary purpose of CEOS clubs is education. The basis for its existence is the desire of people to improve the quality of their living, to find and live the “good life”, to inspire families and individual citizens to make life long learning a great adventure as they advance toward enriched living in the home and in the enlarged community. Other purposes are to further strengthen, develop, coordinate, and extend adult education and to improve the quality of life in cooperation with the Extension Service and to increase knowledge and understanding. The person who continues education and who seek ever broadening horizons is best satisfied and fulfilled in serving the family and community. Click here to visit the the WVU CEOS home page.

Dining With Diabetes (DWD)

Diabetes is a common, serious, and costly disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the rate of diabetes in West Virginia in 2005 was 10.7%. West Virginia is ranked second in prevalence among the 54 states and territories.

West Virginia is also ranked second in obesity and seventh in physical inactivity. These lifestyle measures combined with the fact that West Virginia has the oldest median age in the nation lead to an expected continued rise in both prevalence and incidence of diabetes.

Diabetes is called a lifestyle disease. Making changes in lifestyle can control diabetes and many of the complications of diabetes. The Dining With Diabetes program was designed to help individuals make these changes in lifestyle. Dining with Diabetes teaches how to prepare meals that are healthy and taste good. Participants will also have an opportunity to sample recipes, practice low-impact exercises and learn about various tests that are important for persons who have diabetes. Click here to visit the WVU Dining with Diabetes home page.

Family Nutrition Program (FNP) Family Nutrition Program

The West Virginia Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is a statewide outreach program which focuses on nutrition, food, and physical activity through multiple projects, community-based initiatives and key partnerships. FNP prioritizes accountability and documents its impact on related behaviors of West Virginia’s limited resource families. As a visible and critical part of WVU and WVU Extension Service, we maintain a strong research base and experiential, facilitative approach to delivering information to our focus audience. The FNP serves youth audiences in 31 West Virginia counties. Youth target audiences are 3rd, 4th and 5th graders ages 9-12 from limited resource families. Click here to visit the West Virginia FNP home page.

Energy Express

Energy Express is an award winning, six-week summer reading program that offers two nutritious meals a day. In Kanawha County, Energy Express has programs in Dunbar, Harambee, and Malden. Click here to visit the WVU Energy Express page.