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SNAP-Ed Successes During COVID-19


Vegetable Sharing Program in Louisiana

 

 

Many SNAP-Ed programs have assisted with food assistance efforts during COVID-19.   Below you will find programs that have made a difference during this time!

Wyoming SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Programs

The Wyoming Cent$ible Nutrition Program had several different activities that featured gardening, adult education, and news articles throughout the pandemic.  Visit the links to learn more about the programming in Wyoming.

Community Gardening for Resilience
Growing Green Thumbs
Article on Limiting Grocery Trips
Adult Series Education Success Stories

 

Maryland SNAP-Ed

Maryland SNAP-Ed has created additional virtual resources to complement their four youth curricula for use in the virtual learning environment.  Resources include lesson videos, worksheets, ideas to extend the nutrition lesson, tasting at home activities, and family engagement calendars.  To access these resources, visit:  https://mdteachertoolkit.org/lessons-and-resources/curricula/.  All virtual resources are listed in the Guide under each curricula:
Edible ABC’s
Growing Healthy Habits
Read for Health
ReFresh
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Louisiana SNAP-Ed

A News Release from LSU Ag Center

J.S. Aucoin Elementary donates school garden bounty to senior meal program

Writer: Ruthie Losavio at rlosavio@agcenter.lsu.edu 

(06/12/20) AMELIA, La. — When the school garden at J.S. Aucoin Elementary started producing an abundance of cucumbers, LSU AgCenter area nutrition agent Jessica Randazzo saw the perfect opportunity to give back to the community. 

 “We had more cucumbers than we knew what to do with,” Randazzo said. “We reached out to the Council on Aging to see if we could donate the produce to their meal delivery boxes for seniors.”

 The school garden provided more than 50 cucumbers to the senior feeding program.

 “They’re already asking when I can bring more,” Randazzo said.

 The St. Mary Parish Council on Aging senior feeding program has been delivering meal boxes to low-income seniors across the parish amid the pandemic.

 “Our dedicated employees that have been delivering meals during this time of isolation were excited to also provide fresh produce,” said Beverly Domengeaux, St. Mary Parish Council on Aging director. “It put a big smile on all our seniors’ faces to have something fresh.”

 Before COVID-19, J.S. Aucoin Elementary’s school garden club gave students the opportunity to grow their own food and try new recipes.

 The program proved to be a huge success. Students were eager to try the vegetables they had grown. The school cafeteria even incorporated vegetables from the garden into school lunches.

 “Two years ago, when I was asked if I wanted to be president of the garden club, I was hesitant to say ‘yes’ because of how the garden looked at the time,” said Tracy Gros, J.S. Aucoin Healthy Communities Coalition and faculty member.

 “Once the garden was finished, we stayed after school and the students couldn’t wait to plant,” Gros said. “During the day I would go outside to see if anything was growing or needed watering, but the students were there before me.”

 Despite school campus closures and summer vacation, the school garden continues to thrive thanks to the care and attention of the J.S. Aucoin Healthy Communities coalition and faculty volunteers like Gros.

 The school’s Healthy Communities coalition focuses on improving health at J.S. Aucoin through community-led, sustainable physical and social environmental changes. The school garden is just one of those changes.

 Funds from USDA SNAP-Ed, the Walmart Foundation and the 4-H Healthy Habits program have supported the garden.

 For more information about the J.S. Aucoin Elementary school garden or Healthy Communities coalition, contact Randazzo at jrandazzo@agcenter.lsu.edu.

 

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Sustainable Food Systems Lecture Series

The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is hosting a series of lectures on Sustainable Food Systems.  These events contain topics related to sustainability and the role of agriculture plays in the foods that we consume everyday.

The first lecture featured how Caroline Co schools are working to bring the farm to the school cafeteria.

All lectures can be viewed online via WebEx.  To register for upcoming lectures, visit: https://agnr.umd.edu/sustainable-food-systems-lecture-series

 

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Webinar: Supermarket Science: Multipronged Approaches to Increasing Fresh, Frozen, and Canned Fruit and Vegetable Purchases

Thank you for joining us for the webinar.    Listen to the recording from the webinar and download the powerpoint.

There is also a published article about the study that can be accessed.

 

Webinar Description:

This research examined the effects of a double dollar fruit and vegetable financial incentive on purchases at a community supermarket among shoppers from low-income households who had at least one child. Participation in an in-store Cooking Matters event was requested for those who received incentive but optional for their non-incentivized controls. The sample included Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants. Compared to the controls, incentivized shoppers—who were given an immediate 50 percent discount on qualifying fruit and vegetables—increased weekly spending on those items by 27 percent overall; this change was for fresh produce. There was no change in purchases of frozen and canned produce or unhealthful foods. Estimated annual average daily consumption of fruit and vegetables by the incentivized shoppers and by one designated child per incentivized household did not change. Attendance at Cooking Matters events was low. These findings support continued funding for financial incentive programs as a way to increase fruit and vegetable purchasing among low-income households with children but suggest that effective complementary approaches are needed to improve total diet quality. 

 

 

 

 

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FY19 SNAP-Ed and EFNEP State Impact Reports

We have received the following states FY19 impact reports on their SNAP-Ed and EFNEP work during the 2019 fiscal year.  Click on the name of each state to view the corresponding report:

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2019 SNAP-Ed Program Development Team Meeting

2019-2020 Program Development Team Members.  Not all team members were present for the photo.

 

Land-Grant University System SNAP-Ed Program Development Team  Annual Work Meeting Report: Action Items and Accomplishments April 16-18, 2019, Alexandria, VA

The Land-Grant University SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) is action-oriented, proactive, and focused on long-term projects. This 17-person team represents all Extension regions and is comprised of family and consumer science program leaders and other university administrators, SNAP-Ed program coordinators, an office manager from the Land-Grant University (LGU) System, and a federal partner from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture.  In 2019, an EFNEP Coordinator was added to the team to help facilitate coordination among SNAP-Ed, EFNEP, and other Land-Grant University extension low-income nutrition education programs.  A second Family and Consumer Sciences Administrator was added to the Executive Committee to share volunteer leadership responsibilities.  The team conducts monthly conference calls, subcommittee work, and an annual face-to-face meeting to improve the consistency and effectiveness of Extension SNAP-Ed programming to address national health and nutrition-related problems facing low-income populations in the context of Extension’s broader low-income nutrition education portfolio.

At its annual meeting in April, the PDT reviewed progress, refined and updated its strategic plan implementation, and developed key action steps for the upcoming year.  Specific deliverables were identified, building upon past efforts.  These included:

  • Providing training to support SNAP-Ed leaders in educating legislators and stakeholders;
  • Developing and disseminating onboarding resources to help new SNAP-Ed leaders have a successful start and other resources to strengthen programming across the LGUs;
  • Improving coordination, complementary efforts, and synergy across the LGUs and with additional partners to maximize efficiency and avoid duplication;
  • Preparing a SNAP-Ed LGU National Report on comprehensive approaches and impacts; and
  • Fostering communication among LGUs and with other implementing agencies and stakeholders.

The PDT’s ongoing goals are to support programming, professional development, and partner engagement in ways that will best serve the SNAP-Ed population.  The updated strategic plan is being finalized and will be shared shortly with Extension Directors/Administrators, FCS Leaders, and SNAP-Ed Directors/Coordinators.

Highlights of the last year include:

  • Legislative Education. A primary focus for the year was to ensure that Extension leadership and others had current, relevant, and accurate information.  The PDT gathered data, developed content for stakeholders, created a SNAP-Ed brochure, and responded to requests from ECOP.
  • Strengthening Program and Developing Colleagues. A second priority was the development of program staff.  Resources were created for a SNAP-Ed 101 primer that is under development.  PDT members also provided training, mentored new coordinators, and addressed questions from colleagues.  They held a web-retreat for LGU-Extension SNAP-Ed Directors to discuss hot topics and share best practices. 
  • Building and Sustaining Critical Partnerships. The PDT manned a display at the National SNAP Directors’ Annual Meeting.  Several PDT members also served as liaisons with Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA) committees to ensure that PDT efforts aligned with priorities of other implementing agencies.  Resources were developed for strengthening interactions with State agencies.  PDT members met with USDA FNS contacts to consider how to support agency priorities. 
  • Enhancing Communication and Shared Understanding. PDT members facilitated increased calls and more consistent communication within and across extension regions. PDT developed resources are available at https://community-nutrition-education.extension.org, the community nutrition page on the eXtension website.  Program impact reports from 28 states and the District of Columbia for the past year have also been posted. This “community,” currently at 233 members, continues to grow.

 

Members of the LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team for 2019-2020 (as of August 2019)

North Central Region

  • Christine Hradek, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Coordinator, Iowa State University
  • Jennifer McCaffrey, Assistant Dean, Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Illinois (new)
  • Lisa Ross, Program Manager, EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, Kansas State University (new)

 

Northeast Region

  • Elise Gurgevich, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP Coordinator, Penn State University
  • Joan Paddock, EFNEP Coordinator, Cornell University (new)

 

Southern Region

  • Sylvia Byrd, Project Director, Office of Nutrition Education, Mississippi State University (new)
  • Candance (Candy) Gabel, State Coordinator, Community Nutrition Education Program, Oklahoma State University
  • Lorelei Jones, EFNEP Coordinator, North Carolina State University (new)
  • Andrea Morris, Health and Nutrition Specialist/Program Manager EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, Alabama A&M University; 1890 representative
  • Renda Nelson, Better Living for Texans State Program Director, Texas A&M University

 

Western Region

  • Heidi LeBlanc, SNAP-Ed Director, Utah State University (new)
  • Katie Panarella, Director (FCS, EFNEP and UC MAster Food Preserver Program),  University of California (new)
  • Donna Sauter, ICAN Director (SNAP-Ed & EFNEP), New Mexico State University

 

Executive Committee

  • Angie Abbott, Assistant Dean and Associate Director, Health and Human Sciences Extension, Purdue University (new)
  • Andrea Morris, Health and Nutrition Specialist/Program Manager EFNEP and SNAP-Ed, Alabama A&M University; 1890 representative (new)
  • Jill Thorngren, Dean, College of Education and Human Sciences, South Dakota State University
    Sandra Jensen, Office Manager SNAP-Ed through the LGU System, South Dakota State University
  • Helen Chipman, National Program Leader Food & Nutrition Education, NIFA/USDA

 

Special Projects (new)

  • Lauren Sweeney, SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator, Family, Youth and Community Services, University of Florida
  • Sally Bowman, Program Leader SNAP-Ed & EFNEP, Oregon State University (consultant)

 

Rotating Off – April 2019

  • Pat Bebo, Assistant Director, Family & Consumer Sciences Extension, The Ohio State University
  • Sally Bowman, Program Leader SNAP-Ed & EFNEP, Oregon State University
  • Patsy Ezell, Assistant Director FCS, University of Maryland
  • Megan Ness Ditterick, EFNEP/FNP Coordinator, North Dakota State University
  • Karla Shelnutt, Associate Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist, University of Florida
  • Laura Stephenson, Assistant Dean, Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Tennessee Extension
  • Lisa Sullivan-Werner, FNP and EFNEP Leader, University of Massachusetts

 

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UC CalFresh in Action!

‘A,’ as in appetizing: CHS culinary arts class share skills with elementary students, UCCE Imperial County

By: Vincent Osuna, January 12th, 2019

The possibility of turning her love for the culinary arts into a career didn’t come to the attention of Calexico High School senior Nelly Rodriguez until she was in high school. In her opinion, she should have gotten the notion much sooner. Through the 4-H Teens-As-Teachers Cooking Academy held Thursday, Rodriguez, along with her fellow Calexico High advanced culinary arts classmates, was able to provide Dool Elementary School students an early glimpse into the career possibilities in the kitchen.

“I think this is a really good experience for the kids because it shows them the pathways that are here at the high school that could lead them into their future,” the CHS senior said.

Inside the high school’s culinary arts classroom, CHS students worked step-by-step with the young Dool students in a two-hour session to cook French toast and make homemade syrup and toppings. Thursday marked the fourth of seven sessions in the cooking academy. This year was the first time that Calexico High hosted the academy, which came about through collaboration between UC Cal Fresh and 4-H, both of which operate through University of California Cooperative Extension. 4-H was allowed a mini-grant and purchased equipment, aprons — which were, quite appropriately, green — skillets and other materials for the Dool students, while UC Cal Fresh bought the main food ingredients. Throughout the academy, CHS students will use an evidence-based curriculum from 4-H to teach the elementary youth how to cook and prepare healthy meals for themselves.

“It’s to basically teach kids how to cook, but also just to empower them and to help them feel like they have a little more control over their food,” Chris Wong, UCCE Imperial County Community Education Specialist II, said. “At the same time,it serves purpose to the high school culinary class because it professionally develops them for their food demos and their competitions at the end of the year.”

The introduction of the 4-H academy locally served as an important step forward for Imperial County, as other counties around the state have already implemented the 4-H academy. “Hopefully we can start a new tradition where this can happen… with all the elementary schools as well,” Wong said. “If the schools can’t come to Calexico High School, we’d like to send the culinary arts students to the individual schools and classrooms so they can then do nutrition classes and food demo presentations in the classrooms.”

Samuel Gutierrez, a counselor at Dool Elementary who chaperons the students each session, explained how the academy has helped one student, in particular, this school year. “He recently came from Mexicali,” Gutierrez said. “Did not know any English, no friends, new country, new system and new everything. He would cry every single day coming to school. He did not want to be here because he missed mom, and he didn’t want to make friends. It was a very difficult transition for him.”

After getting to learn more about the student, Gutierrez discovered the student had an interest in cooking.

“I told him, ‘Y’know, you can study this for a career,’ Gutierrez said. “‘You do me a favor: You come to school tomorrow, and I’ll take you to the program.’ I called the mom, the dad and got on the same page as them, and surely enough, the student came to school and we brought the student here. He got the opportunity to engage in this course, with other students, communicate with other students, to socialize with them.”

The counselor noticed the student began to gain a sense of belonging. “He made friends… and (he’s) learning culinary arts as a career venue. He’s learning life skills that he could practice at home with his family. And guess what, his attendance went up because now there’s a reason for him to come to school. There’s a reason why he needs to do good in math… [and] in English. He was a newcomer, did not speak any English. If you go up to him right now, and you talk to him, he’ll speak to you in English. These are the kind of results that we see when we provide opportunity for our students by speaking life and future to them.”

Working with a group of Dool students a few tables down from Rodriguez was CHS senior Julio Ramirez.

“Now that we’re in our fourth session, they’re more comfortable with us,” Rodriguez said. “The first day, they were sort of nervous, not wanting to do stuff. Now since it’s they’re fourth time, they’re anxious to do it. It’s just a good thing to see.”

To wrap up Thursday’s session, Calexico High students showed the young chefs the technique of plating and having their food ready for presentation. Chef Nunez walked around room to each table and gave feedback to each Dool student on their creations. “Since this is just a project, we don’t grade anything,” Nunez said. “It’s just the look on these elementary kids’ faces when they’re eating their final project. To me, that’s an A plus.”