Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
Family and Consumer Services (FACS)
The DeKalb County Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) program consists of education based on health, food, home, finances and family. FACS provides the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), which is an interactive educational series that teaches low-income families how to stretch their food dollars, improve nutrition practices and prevent food-borne illnesses. During the 2024 fiscal year, the DeKalb County Family and Consumer Sciences program provided over 40 educational classes, ranging in topics on health and wellness including a 16-week Fresh on DeK Healthy Living classes associated with the Fresh on DeK Mobile Farmers Market. These programs reached almost 3,000 adults and children.?
The DeKalb County EFNEP program provided 1,707 educational hours which served over 300 adults resulting in 188 graduates. As a result of these classes, 96% of participants improved their diet quality by eating more fruits and vegetable or drank fewer sugary beverages. To graduate from the 8-week EFNEP Food Talk program, participants must attend at least 6 of the 8 sessions. Adults who completed our educational series Food Talk reported measurable improvements in health behaviors in diet quality, physical activity, food safety, and food budget.
Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR)
The Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR) program is here to serve residents, green industry, and agriculture clients in DeKalb County. We reach out to all our clients through informational programs, social media, and in-person or virtual guidance. We offer a hybrid system for programming. We have in-person programs on different topics at various places throughout the community and virtual programs offered during the day and night. In 2024, we hosted 11 programs virtually and 27 in-person programs at libraries, senior centers, and garden clubs. The total number of participants for the 38 programs was 1,272 citizens. These programs range in various subjects such as turfgrass, vegetables, ornamental plants, community gardens, school gardens, trees, pollinators, fruits, etc. Additionally, we attended and held 15 events. At the events we met, educated and answered questions of 745 citizens. Through social media posts, we reached 721 individuals about timely horticulture topics. Our mission is to serve people in DeKalb and the state of Georgia through research-based information.
The Agricultural and Natural Resources program manages the Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program in DeKalb County. This program is made up of volunteers who live in DeKalb. Every year, new volunteers are selected for a 12-week training course that educates them on topics like soils, plant physiology, landscape design, trees, vegetable gardening, etc. Upon completing the training, volunteers contribute 50 hours of service in the county to earn their certification. After the first year, they are required to volunteer 25 hours annually to maintain their certification. The DeKalb County MGEV serve at our 18 project sites, community events, and green spaces and parks throughout the county. In 2024, our volunteers served 11,896.31 hours valued at $344,984. They are such a great asset to our county and our ANR program.
4-H Youth Development
In 2024, DeKalb County 4-H engaged and empowered hundreds of youth through experiential learning opportunities in leadership, agriculture, STEM, and civic engagement. Through school clubs, camps, and competitive events, our programs continue to foster essential life skills such as confidence, effective communication, and a strong sense of community responsibility. With the continued support of our dedicated volunteers and community partners, DeKalb County 4-H remains committed to developing the next generation of leaders—one young person at a time.
This year, 4-H members participated in both Cloverleaf and Junior Camps, where they engaged in team-building exercises, canoeing, archery, hiking, and educational sessions focused on nature and the history of 4-H. Additionally, students regularly attended hands-on learning sessions through our equestrian club in partnership with Little Creek Horse Farm. These sessions taughtparticipants how to groom, tack, and feed horses, with the aim of competing in the Horse Quiz Bowl in the upcoming school year.
Youth also took part in financial literacy courses designed to instill sound money management habits. These lessons equip students with the knowledge and confidence to make responsible financial decisions as teens, laying the groundwork for fiscal responsibility in adulthood.