Sustainable School Teaching Garden

Oct 18, 2017

The goal of this project was to engage students and teachers to utilize the garden for more than just learning about flowers by bringing the classroom outdoors to teach subjects like math and science. The garden is used throughout the school day, after school, and during the summer months by a team of enthusiastic teachers and students.

Sustainable Youth Garden for Penobscot Nation

Oct 18, 2017

“This program is a way to bring together children, families, and the community.”—Shaunda Neptune, Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator. In 2016, Maine SNAP-Ed and the River Coalition teamed up with the Penobscot Nation Youth Program to build a community garden.

Eat the Streets: Exposure to Fruits and Vegetables

Oct 18, 2017

The goal of this project was to help people gain access to healthy foods. Beans, cherry tomatoes, and herbs are just a few of the things residents will be able to pick while visiting the park. These planters will also help to maintain an active and attractive downtown.

Edible Main Street: Exposure to Fruits and Vegetables

Oct 17, 2017

The goal is to demonstrate how to grow vegetables and herbs with the hope of inspiring people to grow their own food. This project started with 12 planters and added 4 more in 2016. Each planter has an accompanying educational description and suggested culinary use for its contents.

Maine Harvest Bucks Promotion Project

Oct 17, 2017

Maine Harvest Bucks are nutrition incentives (funded through the USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program) that allow SNAP/EBT shoppers to receive bonus dollars towards the purchase of local fruits and vegetables for every SNAP dollar spent.

Kids Club at Rockland Farmers' Market

Oct 17, 2017

Maine SNAP-Ed teamed up with the market manager and local businesses to offer Kids Club, an interactive summer nutrition education program for youth. In 2016, 72 children participated in Kids Club, with the goal of increasing access to fruits and vegetables and encouraging interaction with local farmers—creating lifelong farmers’ market customers in Knox County.

Gleaning from Farms to the Communities

Oct 17, 2017

Nutrition Educators in Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties partnered with their local food security organizations to distribute gleaned produce to high-need sites throughout the Midcoast. At one low-income housing site, Bath Housing, an estimated 150 individuals received nearly 1,000 pounds of free, fresh, local produce in the summer of 2016.

Sustainable Garden for Low-Income Seniors

Oct 17, 2017

In 2017, Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educators are helping to establish 10 community gardens across the state, including these raised beds. The educator collaborated with the housing site staff and the residents to prepare a garden site, and through local donations, eight raised garden beds were built and seedlings were planted

High Risk Patients Learn Nutrition Skills

Oct 13, 2017

Through collaborations with three key partners, Nutrition Educators have reached a total of 252 high-risk patients in 2015 and 2016 with nutrition education. Patients and their families learn how to shop, cook, and eat healthy on a limited budget.

New Mainers Learn Strategies to Shop, Cook, and Eat Healthy

Oct 12, 2017

“New Mainers,” are from numerous countries of origin and participants have represented at least six different languages. With the support of interpreters, adult and youth participants overcome language and cultural barriers to learn key nutrition concepts. Adult participants learn how to shop and prepare healthy and familiar meals on a limited budget, an essential skill to support adjustment to their new communities.