by Purdue Nutrition Education Program Advisor
Submitted by Marcia Sweet
NEPA Chris Clark recently got an unexpected text. It read:
Hey Chris. The radio was talking about what ppl wanted to be when they grew up when they were younger. I just wanted to inform you when I was younger, I used to pray for God to let me be like ‘Chris Clark’ to help people and to be kind like you. So thanks for inspiring me. We both know I needed it.”
The text was from a former student who grew up to be a current partner. Chris said when they first met, Sarah was a middle schooler who attended Chris’s classes at a local teen center.
“I connected with her a few years later when she and her husband fell on hard times due to life choices and were living in a camper with two small children in a family member’s back yard, ” Chris said.
This past summer, their paths crossed again. Her student was the YMCA summer program coordinator who asked Chris to teach weekly CATCH lessons for the summer day camp.
Now, the mother of three who recently graduated from college with honors, Sarah teaches life skills at the local high school. She and her husband have purchased their first home. For Chris, who has provided encouragement along the way, the journey has been rewarding.
“NEP Advisors across the state are touching lives, ” Chris said. “I’ m fortunate that I have seen the process unfold over the years with this young lady.”
As she was volunteering with the St. Vincent de Paul of Martin County Food Pantry, which was closed to in-person classes but offering curbside food pick-up, she worked beside a man she had encountered before but did not know. She struck up a conversation.
“Martin County is kind of a poor county, it’s rural, ” Chris said. “I told the gentleman about our program and how much I enjoyed working with my students. I told him if I had the money, I would like to buy them air fryers and crockpots. He said, ‘How much do you need?’ I said, ‘About $1,500.’ He said, ‘How about $2,000?’
“He was the president of the group! I did not know that. He was just a person I was talking to. His exact words, ‘We have so much money, but we do not have educational programs. We would like to see more education.’”
Chris is currently planning with her regional supervisor, Jill Tuley, and her county team about what to do with the money. In addition to the more expensive incentives, the discussion now includes a community garden.
“One of the little ladies told me I needed to be mayor because I knew everyone, ” Chris said. “I just want to be respectful to everybody.”
Get to know Chris:
What areas/counties do you serve?
“Davies, Martin and Knox Counties”
What group do you most often work with?
“I see all age groups, but more between 18-35 years of age.”
What is your favorite part about being a NEPA?
“The diversity of people that attend classes and seeing the positive impact of small life style changes they make.”
Do you have a success story you would like to share?
“When Covid-19 closed doors last year, Chris decided she needed to create new opportunities by meeting new people.”
What are some of your personal interests?
“Spending time with family, gardening, and recently I started learning Spanish with the help of the Duo Lingo app.”