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 2025 fiscal year, the DeKalb County Family and Consumer Sciences program provided nearly 40 educational classes, ranging in topics on health and wellness including being a part of a national- award winning Crafting at Home with Kombucha program. These programs reached over 2,000 adults and children in DeKalb and surrounding Metro Atlanta counties.
The DeKalb County EFNEP program delivered 180 educational hours, serving over 20 groups of adults and youth. For adults, to graduate from the 8-week EFNEP Food Talk program, participants must attend at least 6 of the 8 sessions. Adults who completed the educational series 'Food Talk' reported measurable improvements in health behaviors in diet quality, physical activity, food safety, and food budget. For youth, 'Teen Cuisine' is a series of six lessons that teach the youth life skills and promote optimal health. The curriculum encourages making informed food and lifestyle choices which can lead to positive eating patterns and improved health. Each lesson consists of a variety of activities on nutrition, food safety, food preparation, and physical activity.
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 2025, we hosted 43 programs virtually and in-person at libraries, senior centers, and garden clubs. The total number of participants for the 43 programs was 1,255 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 19 events. At the events we met, educated and answered questions of 779 citizens. Through social media posts, we reached 1,438 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 17 project sites, community events, and green spaces and parks throughout the county. In 2025, our volunteers served 11,697 hours valued at $374,304. They are such a great asset to our county and our ANR program.
4-H Youth Development
DeKalb County 4-H continues to expand its reach by engaging hundreds of youth across the county and community sites through hands-on learning in leadership, agriculture, STEM, and civic engagement. Through in-school clubs, after-school programming, camps, and competitive events, youth develop critical life skills including confidence, communication, and responsibility. Participation in key programs such as District Project Achievement (DPA) has increased significantly, with more youth competing and earning top placements—demonstrating growth in academic enrichment and public speaking.
Experiential learning remains central to program delivery. Youth participate in Summer and Specialty Camps, building independence and teamwork through outdoor education experiences such as canoeing, archery, and environmental exploration. Year-round programming also includes specialized opportunities such as equestrian education and financial literacy, equipping youth with practical skills in both hands-on care and responsible decision-making to support long-term success.
To sustain this growth, DeKalb County 4-H has strengthened its network of volunteers, educators, and community partners, expanding access through classroom-based programming and strategic collaborations. These efforts have increased program capacity while maintaining quality and consistency. DeKalb County 4-H remains committed to providing inclusive, high-quality youth development opportunities to prepare young people to become confident leaders and engaged members of their communities.