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.
4-H Youth Development
Ware County 4-H provides a positive environment that enables community youth to develop life skills through the essential elements of independence, generosity, belonging and mastery. There are over 500 students currently enrolled into the program. This is through both in-school programming and out-of-school activities.
In-school programming allows 4-H staff to meet with every fifth grade classroom as well as the sixth grade students at Ware County Middle School. Through the partnership created with both fifth and sixth grades, we are able to build upon the lessons that students are completed in their science classrooms. We are also able to encouraged students to partake in District Project Achievement to hone in on their public speaking skills.
Over the last several years, 4-H has created different clubs in order to provide a variety of activities to youth in Ware County. The focus of our clubs are to increase leadership, community service and communication among our participants. Opportunities for growth in these areas are exemplified through clubs such as Arts and Drama, Unplugged and Book Club.
4-H creates impact locally, statewide, and nationwide. Many of our students compete at district and state events. We have even had students selected for national awards through 4-H. 4-H offers a space for everyone to fit in and activities that any and every one can enjoy.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
As the largest county in land area in Georgia, Ware County has a diverse agricultural community within its borders. Superior research and education are the driving forces of agricultural innovation, and no one knows this better than UGA Extension. Ware County’s Agricultural and Natural Resources agent has been working on multiple on-farm research trials with area pecan, blueberry, and water agents to provide needed data and information to growers. The ANR Agent has been working hard to meet diverse producer needs and to maintain a high level of programming. The Agent organized or collaborated on planning 13 educational programs in 2023 covering commodity research, pesticide safety, and precision agriculture technology. The Ware County ANR Agent collaborated with the Southeast Area Water Agent in 2022 and 2023 and increased profitability for four growers by a total of $35,007 on 284 acres through the implementation of irrigation sensor technology and amplified county-wide interest in the efficient technology. Nearly 3,000 contacts were made via phone, email, and site visits in 2023. The Agricultural and Natural Resources agent will continue to help clients with issues relating to commodity budgets, pecan, blueberry, cotton, peanut, corn, timber, pasture, livestock and wildlife management. Agriculture in Ware County has a farm gate value of $93 million annually.
Family and Consumer Sciences
The Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) department delivers regular education and answers calls regarding many health and wellness topics, including nutrition, food safety, food preservation, diabetes prevention, bicycle safety, financial wellness, physical activity, yoga for kids, healthy relationships, and more. Some programs of note include our Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). In the last year FACS delivered 845 hours of SNAP-Ed programs to low-income citizens at various community hubs in Ware County. This programming promotes nutrition and obesity prevention, aiming to improve the likelihood that SNAP-eligible Georgians will make healthy food and lifestyle choices. FACS also partnered with Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC) to assist in the operation of its VITA services, providing free tax preparation services to residents of Ware and surrounding counties. Student volunteers from CPTC’s accounting program were trained by Extension to become IRS Certified Volunteer Tax Preparers. The VITA volunteers completed 32 returns for the 2022 tax season. The average adjusted gross income of taxpayers assisted by the program was $25,936, which is below the median household income of Ware County. VITA preparers helped taxpayers capture an average tax refund of $832, bringing $18,293 in refund dollars back to the community that may have otherwise been left on the table. Additionally, the program saved Ware County taxpayers $12,800 in tax preparation fees. The tax dollars returned to residents had a positive effect on the economy while providing a financial boost to the working poor. The VITA program allows Ware County Extension to provide a practical, immediate monetary impact for low- to moderate-income families.