A s an 1890 Land Grant University, Kentucky State University’s Cooperative Extension Program complies with federal civil rights laws and regulations. In addition to compliance, the College of Agriculture, Food Science, and Sustainable Systems strives to plan, develop, deliver, and facilitate educational programs and training opportunities to build capacity and understanding of multicultural, diverse, and inclusive living, learning and working environments.

State Extension Specialist Nancy Cálix works to organize this effort. activities at the Rosenwald Center for Families and Children, which include the weekly Thursday Learning Experience at Rosenwald that asks experts from KSU's Land Grant Extension and collaborating agencies to bring educational programs to the center so families and community members leave with real skills they can implement in their daily home life.

“We hope that capacity building of Extension professionals on diversity and inclusion as well as civil rights compliance will allow for programs to reach diverse audiences throughout the state,” Cálix says.

Cálix also leads the implementation of Extension

activities at the Rosenwald Center for Families and Children, which include the weekly Thursday Learning Experience at Rosenwald that asks experts from KSU's Land Grant Extension and collaborating agencies to bring educational programs to the center so families and community members leave with real skills they can implement in their daily home life.

She serves as co-principal investigator for the Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Project grants. Cálix assists in providing guidance and oversight to grant administration at the project sites. The CYFAR project reaches low-income families and youth from Franklin and Fayette counties.

Cálix has served families and children for 23 years as a school teacher, in student support services, as an adjunct instructor, in Extension programming, and in early childhood settings.

Nancy Cálix, State Extension Specialist

Youth development outreach to more than 4,200 Kentucky youth allows KSU to provide science-based programming and STEM careers.

KSU's Fish Disease Diagnostic Lab saves aquaculture producers over $136,000 by performing tests and inspections in Kentucky.

Farmers in Wayne County save $250,000 by using poultry litter and with improved accuracy of fertilizer applications.

KSU coordinates more than 1,200 hours of volunteer service through the Jefferson County Master Gardner Program.

Wayne County students harvest over $2,000 of produce, saving their school approximately $4,000 with a school gardening project.

Corn producers in Wayne County increase average yields by 20 bushels per acre resulting in a net profit of $15,000 for one 225-acre crop.

KSU's Small Farm Outreach has helped small and disadvantaged farmers average over $3.75 million annually in increased producer incomes, $1 million in annual producer savings, and realized local multiplier effects projected to be $9 million annually.

KSU provides technical assistance to small farmers applying for grants to implement aquaculture, value-added, and organic projects. One-hundred forty-seven have been approved for $636,246 with most of the projects in the Promise and Strike Force Zones.

KSU provides ongoing technical assistance to the Fairview Produce Auction in Christian County, which is located in the Strike Force Zone. Its revenues have grown to $5 million in annual sales.

With KSU's assistance, more than 200 people apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit, receiving estimated returns of over $400,000.

KSU's SKY Families program in Lexington helps 25% of the 173 families it aids reunite with their children.

WWW.KYSU.EDU/CAFSSS