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Success Story tag results

Nevada Women in Recovery take Healthy Steps to Freedom

Mar 05, 2024

After completing the 10-week Healthy Steps to Freedom lessons, 70% of women assessed made healthier choices, 47% increased physical activity, 54% improved in body image acceptance and 49% reported desiring a higher ideal weight. These changes allow for a healthier recovery.

close up of a woman sitting in a group with supporting hands on her back

Shop Smart, Eat Smart Virginia

Aug 10, 2023

In 2018, a SNAP-Ed Extension Agent in southwest Virginia, from Shop Smart, Eat Smart, cold called a store manager hoping to start a partnership. Looking back, the Extension Agent thought this approach may have been overwhelming for the store manage, but it worked!

Example of a shelf talker sign in the produce section of a store

Families are Getting Active Outdoors in VT

Jul 27, 2023

In Rutland County Vermont, more families are getting outside, connecting with nature, being physically active, and increasing their sense of mental well-being thanks to Vermont’s SNAP-Ed, Come Alive Outside (CAO) Passport Program. 

Come Alive Outside Rutland County Winter Passport 2022 cover with an image of kids playing in the snow

LSU AgCenter Supports PSE Changes in Louisiana

Jul 06, 2023

The small town of Crowville, Louisiana has one corner store, one restaurant, and one dollar store – but no grocery store. Thanks to a partnership between Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter SNAP-Ed and a group of passionate community leaders, the local dollar store now features fresh produce, healthy snacks, and healthy shopping resources from the LSU AgCenter’s Geaux Shop Healthy program. 

Tomatoes on a store shelf and a sign "Geaux Shop Healhty! Snack on something fresh"

Create Better Health Online Course

May 15, 2023

The Utah State University Extension Create Better Health (SNAP-Ed) Online Course is a thorough, cost-saving, and effective on-demand educational delivery option, shown to positively impact families’ eating and physical activity behaviors.

Purpose:        

Screenshot of an online nutrition course- educators talking about MyPlate

Food to Grow: Growing a Healthy Future in Hawaii

Apr 18, 2023

More and more people in Hawaii are growing food at home! The University of Hawaii (UH) SNAP-Ed’s Food to Grow (FTG) program is helping. We partner with community agencies to distribute vegetable seedlings, growing instructions, and other resources to community members.

FTG seedling distribution with agency staff

Bike Rodeos Across Alabama Encourage Safe, Fun, Lifelong Physical Activity

Nov 02, 2022

Opportunities for youth and adults to be physically active are always in demand.  Three SNAP-Ed educators in Alabama made it their missions to provide an outlet for physical activity that was healthy, safe, and fun! With donated bikes, obstacle courses, and plenty of water to keep everybody hydrated, these educators hosted bike rodeos in their communities.

a woman helps a child put on a bike helmet. Live Well Alabama

In Tennessee, SNAP-Ed Gives Participants in Alternative Corrections Programs Skills for Healthy Living

Oct 07, 2022

For many people, budgeting, meal planning, and cooking can be a difficult process. For those with previous incarceration, this process can be especially challenging. Tennessee State University’s (TSU) SNAP-Ed program is working with alternative corrections programs to help previous offenders, many who have struggled with substance abuse, gain skills and confidence to plan, shop, and prepare healthy foods.   

exercising with hula hoops

Creative Health Solutions for a Louisiana Community Center

Sep 01, 2022

The Washington Parish LSU AgCenter SNAP-Ed program partnered with a community center in Bogalusa, LA to encourage year-round physical activity and respond to an urgent need for safe drinking water.  They did this by creating hydration stations and providing portable, indoor physical activity mats.

water refilling station and a portable exercise mat

Nebraska Community Gardens Increase Nutrition Security Through Access to Local Produce and Nutrition Education 

Jun 17, 2022

Growing Together Nebraska (GTN) is a community garden project that increases food security and promotes healthy food access for families and individuals. This project engages active Extension Master Gardeners Volunteers (EMGV), local community organizations, and volunteers to build and manage gardens to improve access to affordable, nutritious, and safe foods.

raised bed in gering improves access

Partnering to Promote Food Security - Virginia Fresh Match

Jun 17, 2022

Across Virginia, SNAP-Ed helps promote SNAP match programs at SNAP-accepting farmers markets. To do this, Virginia SNAP-Ed formed a partnership with Virginia Fresh Match and the Virginia Farmers Market Association. These collaborations contributed to increased sales and SNAP redemption at farmers markets. 

a family shops at a farmers market

SNAP-Ed Supports the Double Up Food Bucks Debut in Cowley County

Apr 22, 2022

Families visiting the Ark City Farm and Art Market and Walnut Valley Farmers Market can now bring home more healthy food! The Cowley Farmers Market Association (CFMA) launched the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) program in 2021 thanks to the leadership of the Family Consumer Science and SNAP-Ed Agent, Becky Reid and Nutrition Educator, Ruth Bumgarter! SNAP recipient users can double their benefits up to $25 per market visit in extra tokens to be used only for locally grown fruits and vegetables.

customer interacts with snap-ed booth at a farmers market

Celebrate Your Plate: Ohio SNAP-Ed’s Social Marketing Thrives Throughout COVID-19

Apr 22, 2022

The Ohio SNAP-Ed Social Marketing Campaign, Celebrate Your Plate (CYP), provides budget-friendly recipes, shopping and cooking tips, and around town resources through our website, CelebrateYourPlate.org.  CYP recipes and resources are used in direct education and media efforts throughout Ohio.  SNAP-eligible families can turn to CYP as a trusted, friendly source of knowledge and information as they try to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption.

screenshot of the CYP website. Image shows a toolbar at the top: tips, recipes, around town, for kids. Welcome to CELEBRATE YOUR PLATE Come on in to find recipes for low-cost, tasty meals that everyone in your family will enjoy. See Recipes. Below that there are three recipes with pictures, names, and a brief description.

St. Anselm’s Food Pantry Partnership Fills the Need for Healthy Food Access and Nutrition Security

Apr 21, 2022

St. Anselm’s Food Pantry is now able to serve more people with extended hours and more nutritious foods. Through coordination with partners, they installed refrigeration equipment, maintained a safe setting during the COVID 19 pandemic, and provided resources and signage so clients feel comfortable visiting the Pantry. Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA), CalFresh Healthy Living staff provided recipes and nutrition education. The Pantry clients are now able to prepare healthy meals with the food they receive. Clients can also obtain additional food for their families thanks to referrals to food assistance programs.

boxes of shelf stable food at a food pantry

Food Pantry Clients Try New Foods

Apr 19, 2022

Many Iowa food pantries promote healthy habits! Pantry clients can try new foods through food samplings, recipe kits, and fresh produce donations, thanks to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach SNAP-Ed. 

10 Minute Chili Kit with canned tomatoes, beef, and kidney beans

The Great Potato Harvest 2021

Feb 23, 2022

Baked, boil, mashed, grilled, roasted…oh, there are so many ways to enjoy potatoes! In the fall of 2021, freshly dug potatoes at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) were harvested and sent to food pantries across the state.

Food bank trucks being loaded with potatoes

Creating A More Accessible Community Health Hub

Feb 23, 2022

Shreveport residents with disabilities now have greater access to fresh produce, preventive healthcare, physical activity, and community involvement. This is thanks to accessibility improvements made at a local community health hub. All residents can now learn how to make healthful lifestyle choices while receiving free health screenings and building meaningful connections with their neighbors.

accessible garden: first image is a garden tool practice station, second image is a game station with non-verbal hopscotch, third image is a sensory garden including fragrant herbs

Eating Well at Home with Elena

Feb 23, 2022

Elena is one person who joined a direct opportunity through SNAP-Ed. Elena is a mom of 4 boys and she had some health concerns in her family, so she jumped at the opportunity to learn about healthy eating on a budget. She was concerned about the amounts of fat, sugar and salt her family was consuming. She wanted to learn healthier alternatives for how to cook for her family rather than how she grew up. 

a SNAP-Ed educator virtual teaching over a tablet

Increasing Food Access During a Pandemic

Feb 15, 2022

Early in the pandemic, members of the Central Florida Alliance to End Hunger Food Access Working Group realized a growing need for access to healthy food in their community. The group planned for a new produce distribution site in a high-need area of East Winter Garden, Florida.

UF IFAS Extension University of Florida grow, shop, cook, eat Family Nutrition Program

Overcoming Social Gathering Challenges to Advance Healthy Living during a Pandemic

Feb 15, 2022

Due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, event sponsors were forced to cancel in-person events in 2020. In 2021, COVID-19 remained a threat to the public’s health and in-person gatherings continued to be restricted. The CDPH CalFresh Healthy Living public relations team developed new strategies and tactics, while maintaining the vision of promoting healthy snacks and drinks.

healthy snack resources available for pickup at a CalFresh location

Community in Action: Walk Fairview Day

Feb 15, 2022

Walking around the neighborhood is a great way to add physical activity to your day and improve your health. But what if there are barriers in your environment to physical activity? A group of youth from the Fairview Community in Hillsborough, North Carolina identified these barriers.

participants from the Walk Fairview Day stand behind a table with a sign

Transition to Virtual Summer Camp Expands Reach of Program

May 17, 2021

The Poe Center for Health Education hosts two week-long Healthy Habits Camp sessions every summer. Kids learn about the importance of nutrition and physical activity through classes, games, gardens, and hands-on cooking experiences. At Healthy Habits Camp, breakfast and lunch are provided through the summer meals program. Additional food tasting occurs with SNAP Ed cooking activities.

creating activity kits for pickup by camp participants: fruit and veggies in a plastic bag with a recipe attached

Building School District Capacity in Physical Activity Virtually Reaches 18,000 Students!

Mar 16, 2021

Six hundred teachers at Alvord Unified in Riverside County discovered ways to make physical activity breaks fun in the virtual classroom. They used lessons from the CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California Cooperative Extension (CFHL, UCCE) team. The team provided a virtual professional development training for teachers, which helped them effectively reach 18,000 students.

zoom call with images of students and a premade exercise list in two columns; first column 1 Jumping Jacks, 3, arm circles, 5 jump in place; 2nd column 2 squats, 4 calf raises, 6 lunges - CFHL, UCCE team demonstrates a brain break activity during a virtual class

Learning the Alphabet through Edible ABC’s 

Mar 04, 2021

Preschools and other early learning centers are critical settings for obesity prevention efforts. The preschool years are an important time when young children are learning to develop healthy habits. In FY19, Maryland SNAP-Ed partnered with over 213 early education sites and reached 9,561 preschool-aged kids through face-to-face education and multi-level interventions.

Watermelon display with watermelons in the background and other fruits and vegetable pamphlets

Grocery Stores Receive Healthy Drink Recipes

Feb 04, 2021

The goal of Rethink Your Drink Nevada (RYD) is to promote healthy beverage choices and decrease the intake of sugary drinks among households with young, school-age children (6-12 years-old). In 2017, RYD started to work with grocery stores in low-income communities to promote choosing healthy drinks where families shop. The team distributed free recipes for low-cost, simple, and healthy drinks at in-store events.  

Rethink your drink display in a grocery story with free recipe cards for customers to take

Cooking Alone…Together! SNAP-Ed in Massachusetts Reaches New Audiences by Moving Online

Feb 04, 2021

Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters in Massachusetts (a SNAP-Ed partner) provides practical food skills education for individuals to purchase and prepare foods that meet their nutrition, budget, and personal needs. Since this program began in Massachusetts in 1994, over 45,000 people learned these crucial skills and found solutions for common struggles such as limited time, money, and feeding picky kids. 

Cooking Matters facilitators (top left) hosting a lively online class with multiple participants

Improving the Health of Aging Nevadans

Jan 29, 2021

Older adults in the state of Nevada are resilient. Despite current social distancing orders, older adults want to continue to improve their health and quality of life. The SNAP-Ed Healthy Aging strategy has continued delivering nutrition and physical education to older adults with the support of contractors, collaborators, and counties in Nevada. 

Instructions for healthy aging: planting an herb garden with pots filled with dirt

A Walking School Bus? Why Not!!

Jan 11, 2021

Madera County Department of Public Health is a grantee for the Cal Fresh Healthy Living Program, a SNAP-Ed Implementing Agency.  During the 2019-2020 school year, they worked with George Washington Elementary School to pilot a Walking School Bus Program (WSB). This was done to keep students safe while walking to school. Many students walk through wide, uncontrolled crossings where there are no sidewalks on the road.

Walking School Bus

The Palms Inn Garden: Sowing Seeds, Harvesting Hope

Jan 10, 2021

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa has supported garden revitalization efforts at a local housing site, providing residents with hope and purpose in addition to the fresh grown produce. The garden has already transformed the lives of several residents, and it is only getting started.

garden in front of apartment building

Let's Play Bingo!

Oct 12, 2020

Oregon SNAP-ED (Food Hero) is helping families build healthy habits outside of school through bingo! They have had successful bingo projects, first with the Spring Break Bingo (SBB) and then Bingo at Home.

Sample Bingo Card

Let's Ride! Let’s Eat Healthy! Let’s Have Fun!

Jul 27, 2020

Kids in Jefferson Parish Louisiana are riding their bikes and eating more veggies! Not only did this group of 4th and 5th grade students at Washington STEM Elementary School (WES) learn how to safely ride a bicycle, change and repair a tire tube and read a map, they had fun doing it! The students were proud of their accomplishments, with their teachers and coaches encouraging them, and they learned the importance of physical activity.

Smiling fifth-grade student at Washington STEM Elementary School riding a bicycle practicing the bike skills drills, while her classmates wait their turn to execute the course.

Indoor Playground Gets Kids Moving

May 27, 2020

Imagine a school day where children cannot go outside to the playground because of the weather. Now, imagine a school with an indoor playground! In 2019, LSU AgCenter SNAP-Ed and the Ouachita Parish Healthy Communities Coalition created an indoor playground at Shady Grove Elementary School.

Indoor playground with kids playing

Wisconsin Youth Tackle Community Health Challenges through SNAP-Ed Partnership

Aug 01, 2019

Wisconsin youth are tackling health challenges in their communities head-on with a program called Youth Advocates for Community Health (YACH). Partnerships between youth and adults are central to this program. It is organized by educators from the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension SNAP-Ed. Engaged youth also play a big role in leading projects. 

kids with a sign that says "power"

Gardening Takes Root in Maine Schools: Kingfield Elementary Kids Grow and Eat their Own Produce in Outdoor Classroom

Jul 26, 2019

From 2015 until 2018, Maine SNAP-Ed and Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County teamed up with the local Master Gardener program and Kingfield Elementary School. They worked together to expand their school garden. Kingsfield is a SNAP-Ed eligible, rural school. Together, they developed a 6-8-week after-school program called Growing Gardeners. 

kids in a gardening plot

Power of Produce Club and SNAP-Ed

Dec 14, 2018

The Power of Produce (PoP) Club is a farmers market incentive program for children that originated at Oregon City Farmers Market in Oregon City, Oregon, in 2011. The program has been put into practice at thousands of farmers markets throughout the nation.

small boy with onion

Meeting Policy: Latino Chain Dedicated to Employee Health 

Dec 10, 2018

The Northgate Gonzalez Markets supermarket chain has done a lot to create a healthy environment in their stores. Northgate is a Latin-focused chain of stores that has served the community for more than 30 years. They have worked with local public health groups since 2015 and have done many projects to promote health.

checker helping a woman buy groceries

White Earth Nation: Partnership with Substance Abuse Programs

Nov 30, 2018

White Earth Nation’s SNAP-Education program partners with the Maternal Outreach and Mitigation (MOMs) Program. This outpatient program helps moms gain the skills they need to overcome drug addictions. The SNAP-Ed program is successful because it meets specific nutrition education needs. Clients receive culturally grounded nutrition information to help them follow a healthy diet after achieving sobriety. They also learn to cook for themselves and their children. 

White Earth Nation Logo

Stepping It Up

Nov 15, 2018

In Tuolumne County, the UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Central Sierra region helped start the "Tuolumne County: Step It Up" campaign across the school district.

kids in a line

Leveraging Technology to Deliver Tailored SNAP-Ed Messages

Oct 31, 2018

UCONN School and Family SNAP-Ed collaborated with the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford for this project. This project supports healthy behaviors in high-need children receiving healthcare in the urban Pediatric Emergency Department (PED). When they visit, PED, children and families enjoy a fun online survey about dietary behaviors. Based on their responses, the family receives unique diet and physical activity messages.

tailored online messages

#FoodFriday Healthy Recipe Videos

Oct 26, 2018

SNAP-Ed at Auburn University launched the #FoodFriday Healthy Recipe Videos initiative in 2017. Short videos were developed for people with limited-resources. The videos are visually appealing, easy-to-prepare healthy recipes. These videos give Alabama Extension one more tool to support community members. 

kickin' chicken stew

West Virginia Kids Coupons Program

Oct 26, 2018

The Kids Coupon program gives low income children of all ages $4 in farmers market tokens. These tokens are used to purchase fresh, local fruits and vegetables from a market. The produce is brought to their childcare center, school or community. Children and families participate in nutrition education and food sampling.

girl holds a turnip

SC Plants the Seed

Oct 15, 2018

SC Plants the Seed brings together nutrition education, increasing access to fresh produce, USDA Summer Food Service Program, and literacy.

nutrition education at the library

Vetri Community Partnership: Eatiquette 360

Oct 15, 2018

Eatiquette 360 educates students and supports healthy lifestyles for families in Philadelphia school communities. Nationally, students receive an average of 3.4 hours of nutrition education per year. Vetri Community Partnership's Eatiquette 360 program wants to change that in Philadelphia, PA. The Partnership works with local schools in areas where most people are eligible to receive SNAP.  

3 boys eating salad

Increasing Access to Fresh Produce within the SC SNAP-Ed Program through the FoodShare SC Model

Aug 17, 2018

The vision of FoodShare SC is to ensure access to fresh produce for all in South Carolina.  In April 2016, the program launched in Columbia, SC.  Twenty-four community members purchased a bulk box of fresh fruits and vegetables from a city parks and recreation community center.  The program has since expanded to 400 boxes purchased during pick-up days, on a regular basis.

FoodShare box filled with fresh produce

Ready, Set, Read! UConn Husky Sport

Jul 21, 2018

Ready, Set, Read! is a Husky Sport literacy skill-building program. It is a school-time program and students and their teachers participate. Lessons focus on physical skills, life skills, and nutrition-related skills.

a table with snacks

Farmers Market Nutrition Education

Jul 05, 2018

Through the Husky Nutrition Programs’ Farmers' Market Education initiative, Registered Dietitians and UConn students promote the value of fresh produce. This is done by providing farmers market information and free nutrition education to Connecticut residents.

woman helping child at farmers market

Telephonic Health Coaching Initiative

Jun 18, 2018

The University of Saint Joseph’s (USJ) SNAP-Ed Telephone Health Coaching (THC) Intervention, supports Connecticut residents in making healthier choices and significant changes to their lifestyles. Health coaches at USJ provide the guidance needed to educate and motivate SNAP-Ed clients to meet their health and wellness goals.

woman speaking with another women in front of table

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR)

May 14, 2018

Youth-led Participatory Action Research (YPAR) has changed the after-school programs at the YMCA of Honolulu. Teens are now engaged in identifying solutions to the issues they see in their communities.  The approach has built leadership among several dozen teens.

Kids working in a garden

Out of School Time Programs

May 04, 2018

Out of School Time Programs are ideally positioned to engage children in developing healthy lifestyles through hands-on, experiential learning. With specific strategies geared towards this setting, HealthMPowers helps afterschool and summer programs increase access to healthy foods and expand opportunities for youth to be physical active.

child and adult mixing something in a bowl

Nutrition in Action

May 02, 2018

Children usually look forward to classroom parties filled with sweet treats and sugary beverages.  But this year thanks to Nutrition in Action, the Dickinson Elementary holiday party was filled with fresh fruit and yogurt at the students’ requests!

Girl holding up her cookbook

Let’s Cook! Peña Blanca

May 02, 2018

In many rural communities in New Mexico, parents often work 30-50 miles away from home and students are in extended after school programs. Let’s Cook! Peña Blanca is a part of our larger Kids Cook! (KC!) programming into these rural communities. The programs serve low income families at an after school program at the Peña Blanca Inter-generational Community Center.

Photo of child with a finished recipe.

Creating a Culture of Wellness in Preschools

Apr 27, 2018

Since 2012, the Culture of Wellness in Preschools (COWP) has worked to prevent early childhood obesity in Colorado. The program has reached over 22,000 children and their families in 140 low-income preschools across 12 counties in Colorado.

Photo of preschooler jumping with a hoolahoop.

Vegetable Tasting Activities

Apr 27, 2018

The Hispanic Health Council SNAP-Ed Program in Connecticut has been implementing vegetable tasting activities at a Mobile Market and at a Farmers Market serving low-income neighborhoods.

educator handing out food samples at Farmers Market

Promotora: A Walking Group for Seniors

Mar 29, 2018

At St. Margaret’s Center we implement nutrition education and Policy, Systems and Environmental Change (PSE) work. Our PSE work reinforces healthy behaviors among the public. Our PSE work helps people improve their lives and includes...

Walking Group

Farmers' Market Fresh

Mar 29, 2018

Farmers’ Market Fresh (FMF) is a social marketing campaign for limited-resource consumers at farmers’ markets. The primary goal of this program is to promote fruit and vegetable consumption through farmers’ markets that accept SNAP EBT.

two boys try food from a sample table at a Farmers Market

Cooking with Kids

Feb 02, 2018

When kids help make healthy foods, they are excited to try them! Cooking with Kids teaches public school children about the joys of healthy cooking and eating and where their food comes from.

boys stirring food in a skillet

4th Grade Vegetable Core

Feb 02, 2018

Developed to address low vegetable intake levels seen in statewide needs assessment data, the Fourth Grade Vegetable Core intervention includes four lessons with food-tastings, activities, and messaging focused on improving mediators of behavior change (attitude, self-efficacy, preference, and knowledge).

woman teaching nutrition to kids

Green Island Gardens

Jan 29, 2018

Youth worked in a community garden and planter program, called the Green Island Gardens (GIG) project. It was a summer job program through Pernet. The goal was to beautify the retail and residential areas in Worchester. Pernet adopted a state-owned island for this project. They committed to maintain the grounds, and grow fresh produce, herbs, and flowers.

Youth outside

School Health Check

Jan 18, 2018

The Center for Nutrition in Schools at UC Davis, in collaboration with UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program, developed the “School Health Check” or “SHC²” questionnaire for Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP). SHCP is a nutrition education program that provides a framework...

Kids standing in a garden

Healthy Children, Healthy Families

Jan 18, 2018

Prevalence of childhood obesity is higher (22.4%) in Latino children ages 2-19 years than in non-Latino white children (14%). Obesity rates have recently decreased among 2-5- year- olds nationwide. However, racial and ethnic health disparities persist and indicate the urgency of early prevention efforts in high-risk communities.

fruit kabobs in a bowl on a table

Cafeteria Promotions Enhance Farm to School Efforts

Jan 18, 2018

School food service directors in the California Bay Area have been working with wholesalers and farmers to include more local or regional produce in school meals. These directors often face tight budgets and purchasing challenges. Students, particularly low-income students, are often unfamiliar with locally grown foods. Promotional efforts are needed to introduce the new items to students and reduce food waste.

3 cups used for voting

UC CalFresh Fresno Helps Transform Challenge into Change

Jan 11, 2018

Poverty combined with high unemployment rates can be a recipe for disaster. Entire families become engulfed in crisis. Rescue the Children (Rescue) is a ministry of the Fresno Rescue Mission. The Mission is a nonprofit that changes lives lost to drug or alcohol addiction. The Mission assists homeless families and women who have been released from prison. Rescue provides an in-house rehabilitation and transition program.

person in a dusty garden

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.

raised bed garden

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.

youth in a field

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.

planters in an alley

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.

planter with vegetables growing in it

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.

collage of incentive pilot marketing materials

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.

a girl with a backpack full of vegetables

Gleaning from Farms to the Communities

Oct 17, 2017

**An updated story on this program is available.** 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.

people picking food in a field

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

raised garden beds next to a parking lot

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.

people attending a tasting event

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.

picture of people in a cooking class

Plan, Shop, Save, Cook for Homeless Youth

Sep 08, 2017

In the 2016-17 school year nearly 9 percent of the students in Coos Bay School District (CBSD) reported being homeless, including about 130 high school students. For these students, cooking healthy meals isn’t always a top priority.

participants pose with their new electric skillets

Illinois Junior Chefs

Sep 08, 2017

Across the state of Illinois, kids aged 8-13 are learning confidence in the kitchen through a hands-on culinary and nutrition education program, Illinois Junior Chefs.

girl cutting up strawberries

Children’s Farmers Market Brings Fresh Produce to Kids

Aug 14, 2017

There are many families in San Luis Obispo County who lack adequate access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County (SLO Food Bank) set out to help. SLO Food Bank started the “Children’s Farmers Market Program”. This program gives locally grown donated produce to children from low-income families.

farmer stands behind boxes of vegetables

Ready Set Swim!

Aug 11, 2017

The “Ready, Set, Swim” program is a fun and innovative way to combine physical activity, nutrition education, and water safety all in one.

children in a pool

High School Mini Farm Stand Project

Aug 04, 2017

Thomas Jefferson High School in South Los Angeles has Health Academy Mini Farm Stands thanks to a great idea from the students. Lots of kids miss Breakfast in the Classroom. Now, teachers encourage hungry kids to choose a healthy snack from the Health Academy Mini Farm Stand basket.

basket of apples on a table

Chickasaw Nation SNAP-Ed Coordinated Programming and Evaluation

Aug 04, 2017

The Eagle Adventure program was developed through a collaboration between the Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services SNAP-Ed Program and the Oklahoma State University in Indian Country for youth and their families after extensive formative research indicated type 2 diabetes as a major concern among parents and elders. The team used the socioecological model (SEM) as the framework for development of the program and evaluation processes.

Table - Chickasaw Nation SNAP-Ed evaluation processes support evaluation of indicators outlined in the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework

School Garden at James Elementary School

Jul 26, 2017

Elementary school students in Portales, NM are learning to eat their vegetables and how to grow them. Two programs designed to introduce children to healthy practices have combined to create a garden at James Elementary School.

A boy picking a radish from a raised bed garden

Multilevel SNAP-Ed Programming in Maryland

Jul 14, 2017

Maryland SNAP-Ed teaches youth in schools how to eat healthy and be physically active. Maryland SNAP-Ed is also referred to as the Food Supplement Nutrition Education (FSNE) Program. The program delivers school-based programming to youth, parents/caregivers, and teachers.

Info graphic with circles with people inside and number of participants

CookShop

May 08, 2017

CookShop helps low-income children and adults to enjoy a healthy diet and active lifestyle. CookShop teaches nutrition and physical activity to participants. The program also teaches cooking skills and enthusiasm for fresh, affordable fruits, vegetables and whole foods.

teacher talking to students about nutrition

At the Stop to Good Health.

May 08, 2017

Parents and caregivers were encouraged to model healthy behaviors by the messages on bus kongs (side of bus, also known as "bus wraps"), bus shelters, and transit station dioramas.

at the stop to good health

Eat Smart New York

May 08, 2017

In Eat Smart New York, a Community & School Garden Specialist provides support to identified gardens in schools and communities in high-needs counties and towns.

screen shot of beginning video with a farmer and school children

Brighter Bites 

May 05, 2017

Brighter Bites is a non-profit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, while teaching them how to use and choose a different kind of fast food. We make it fun. We make it free.

boy sits on a bench with a bag of groceries

Buy Eat Live Better

May 05, 2017

Buy Eat Live Better: Teaches SNAP-Ed eligible youth and adults in the locations that they eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop. Collaborates with community and statewide partners to leverage resources and increase program reach to eligible audiences. Empowers organizations and individuals to create changes in policies, systems, and environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice for all Montanans.

Montana State University Extension

SNAP-Ed, Montgomery County Food Bank 

May 04, 2017

The SNAP-Ed Program promotes nutrition education and healthy eating, helping educate our residents and recipients on the benefits of making healthy choices. Healthy eating and proper nutrition is integral to ensuring a healthier community which is key to ending the cycle of hunger.

Montgomery County food bank Nutrition education program screen shot of website

Smarter Lunchrooms Movement

Jan 10, 2017

The Smarter Lunchrooms Movement conducts research in thousands of schools across the country in order to identify the best ways to nudge students to select and consume the healthiest food in the lunchroom.

Smarter Lunchrooms Movement

Text2BHealthy

Jun 13, 2016

Text2BHealthy is a text message program targeting parents of elementary school students who are currently receiving classroom-based nutrition education. Face-to-face nutrition education is an effective tool in teaching children about fruits and vegetables, but programs often experience difficulty reaching parents.

TEXT 2B Healthy

Distinguished After School Health Recognition Program

Jun 13, 2016

California’s local and federal funding provides enrichment services in 4,500 SNAP-Ed eligible afterschool programs. To assess the potential of SNAP-Ed to introduce such efforts system-wide (ST5), the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California worked with the Center for Collaborative Solutions (CCS), a nonprofit specializing in public education.

hotograph of children from START performing at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, California in 2014

Measuring Food Security in Remote Villages

Jun 13, 2016

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Subsistence (DOS) conducts annual field research to measure changes in the amounts of subsistence foods used in rural Alaska. The Alaska Family Nutrition Program’s SNAP-Ed team is partnering with DOS and the Center for Alaska Native Health Research (CANHR) to measure food security in rural Alaskan communities (indicator R6 in the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework).

Pie chart of Alaska Food Security

Producing PEARS, A Data Tracking System

Jun 13, 2016

The state uses the Program Evaluation and Reporting System (PEARS) to gather evaluation data. Using PEARS, Kansas SNAP-Ed professionals can select or build evaluation instruments specific to the needs of each program they deliver, enter program information and response data, and access various reporting features.

screenshot from web site

Creating a Standardized Program Evaluation System

Jun 13, 2016

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services contracts with the University of New England to deliver SNAP-Ed through 23 community-based coalitions. Maine’s nutrition educators enhance direct education with obesity prevention policy, systems, and environmental change (PSE) strategies.

gardens

Reinforcing Multi-Sector Partnerships

Jun 13, 2016

The Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition (MOCAN) is an example of a multi-sector partnership consisting of representatives from more than 50 statewide and local agencies, institutions, organizations, other coalitions, and individuals. 

people sitting around a table

Heart Smarts

May 13, 2016

Three years ago, Troy used to go his local corner store to grab a soda and a bag of chips. Today, when he visits that same corner store in North Philadelphia he chooses an orange and a bottle of water.

The Food Trust Logo

Healthy Food Pantry Initiative

May 08, 2016

The goal of the Healthy Food Pantry Initiative is to work with food pantries and the community, to encourage the availability of healthier options and to make the healthier choices the easier choices in food pantries.

woman and man looking at a food pantry box

Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education (DINE)

Mar 03, 2016

In schools, DINE is a curriculum series that includes lessons, activities, healthy food tastings, and cooking demonstrations/classes. Nutritionists encourage Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE)s and collaborate with school gardens.

DINE

Kid CHEF

Jan 15, 2016

Kid CHEF (Cooking Healthy, Easy Food) is a skills- and knowledge-building program that focuses on teaching children about healthy eating and how to prepare nutritious, easy foods on their own.

Kid Chef Logo with cartoon kids dressed up as chefs

EatFresh.org

Apr 07, 2015

EatFresh.org is a USDA-approved recipe and healthy living website available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. It features 400+ culturally-competent, low cost recipes; food discovery pages; healthy messaging pages; Ask a Dietitian; and county resources.

eatFresh.org logo

The Food Security Project

Mar 26, 2015

The Food Security Project takes a multifaceted approach to improving local food access for low-income individuals and families in Virginia. While the program includes a direct education approach, environmental initiatives are an important aspect of the program.

family purchasing prodice with EBT card at a farmers market

Virginia Family Nutrition Program

Mar 26, 2015

The Virginia Family Nutrition Program is a comprehensive nutrition education program offered in a variety of settings to both youth and adult audiences. It has resulted in significant dietary behavior change as well as positive nutrition messages.

Eat Smart Move More VA cooperative extension - family nutrition program

Youth Understanding MyPlate

Mar 03, 2015

Youth Understanding MyPlate (YUM) is a six lesson curriculum designed to teach children the messages of MyPlate through experiential activities that encourage healthy eating choices.

yum - youth understanding myplate

Food $ense

Dec 08, 2014

Food $ense provides nutrition education to low income adults and youth across the state of Utah. Food $ense reaches participants in all 29 counties across the state. Education classes include nutrition information, cooking demonstrations, and recipe testing. Online classes include nutrition information and cooking demonstration videos.

screen shot of Utah's Create web page; plan, cook, eat, move

The Learning Kitchen

Oct 02, 2014

In a series of six lessons, participants learn about balancing and planning healthy meals, stretching food dollars to maximize nutrition, shopping strategies, and cooking techniques. An example lesson includes “Produce and Protein,” with a goal to encourage participants to incorporate more fruits, vegetables and healthy protein options into their diet.

The Learning Kitchen program logo: Pear with a Bowl

Iowa Nutrition Network School Grant Program

Jan 09, 2014

The Iowa Nutrition Network School Grant Program is designed to improve fruit and vegetable and low-fat dairy consumption among elementary school children in schools with at least 50 percent participation in free- and reduced-price lunch. The program delivers classroom-based nutrition and physical activity education supported by social marketing strategies.

girl with a frisbee with an orange slice and carrot with an orange background

Cent$ible Nutrition Program

Oct 21, 2013

Many people in the general population claim that “eating healthy is too expensive.” While fresh fruits and vegetables may seem expensive, if done right, they can fit into any budget along with other nutritious foods such as whole grains and low-fat or no-fat milk.

Cent$ible Nutrition Program logo with grocery bag and food items

Food Hero Social Marketing Campaign

Mar 29, 2013

Food Hero is a research based Spanish and English language multi-channel social marketing campaign developed by Oregon State University Extension and designed to inconspicuously increase consumption of vegetables and fruits within the targeted audience of SNAP-eligible Oregon moms in an empowering way.

Food Hero Logo with a fruits and vegetables