Kathy Michelich

Extension Educator
Family & Consumer Sciences

E-mail me at michelich.1@osu.edu

All About Family & Consumer Sciences

Warren County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences' programs focus on helping people address these critical issues:

Personal Money Management / Resource Management 

• Budgeting
• Consumerism
• Goal Setting
• Textiles and Clothing
• Household Possessions  

Family Life Education

• Parenting 
• Life Span Issues 
• Managing Multiple Roles 
• Strengthening Families

Improving Nutrition and Food Safety

• Basic Nutrition Education
• Preserving Food Safely at Home

Strengthening Networks between Individuals & Resources

• Building Coalitions
• Leadership Development  

2009 Program Highlights

The Extension Family and Consumer Sciences' program continues its tradition of outreach by providing research-based information on life skills, personal money managements and investing, safe food handling, nutrition, and caring for home and family possessions.

• Nearly 300 clients of Warren County social service delivery systems were provided sessions on successful money management including how money impacts personal relationships, impulsive spending, money personalities, needs versus wants, and how technology is changing money management.

• The newly released publication, “In Over Your Head – Life-Saving Strategies for Financial Crisis”, was co-authored by Warren County FCS Educator.  The publication provides practical information on dealing with debt collectors, repayment plans, credit counseling, bankruptcy, and how to avoid debt in the future.

• Teens at the Midwestern Children’s Home were better prepared to live on their own - after receiving a 12-part lesson series totaling 80 hours of training on money management.

• Fourteen clients of Warren Metropolitan Housing completed a four part series on financial literacy as part of their work toward self-sufficiency.  Written evaluations indicate increase in knowledge regarding skills needed to achieve financial goals.

• Over 200 Ohio Works First clients were provided focused educational sessions on employability skills, exploring personal values and establishing goals, nutrition, food safety, consumer skills, communication skills, and career clothing care and choices.  Nearly 100 hours of classroom training provided to this special needs audience.

• One hundred and twelve individuals were provided DermaScans and encouraged to prevent skin cancer through various sun protective methods.

• Six Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children were trained regarding working with families in poverty.

• A four part “Managing in Tough Times” lesson series on was provided to twenty social service delivery clients covering topics such as securing food, shelter, and other basic services when personal income decreases.

• The FCS Educator serves on numerous collaborations and coalitions throughout the county to improve decision making through collective sharing, decrease duplication of effort, and to identify priority areas to direct limited resources.