Spectrum - Volume 18 Issue 09 October 19, 1995 - Extension to assist welfare reform

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Extension to assist welfare reform

By Nancy Templeman

Spectrum Volume 18 Issue 09 - October 19, 1995

Virginia Cooperative Extension has received a $10,300 grant to bring its family and consumer sciences educational programs to Department of Social Services welfare reform clients in the Culpeper area.

Extension agents in Planning District 9 will teach three series of specified programs to assist clients in the transition from home to work. Extension Regional Director Brenda Olafsen is program coordinator for the project, and she will be supported by Extension family and consumer sciences agents Beverly Butterfield of Fauquier County, Christine Kastan of Madison and Orange counties, Helen Smith of Rappahannock County, and Athena Taylor of Culpeper.

They will offer programs in time and household management, scheduling and back-up emergency plans, budgeting, parenting skills, nutrition and maintaining family health, communication, and plans to meet goals for the future.

The agents will be supported by Extension specialists from the College of Human Resources at Virginia Tech and from Virginia State University. Several of the existing Extension programs created by these specialists to serve low-income families and at-risk youth are being adapted for the home-to-work training.