Project Plans FY09

Family Nutrition Project

Project Leader: Lisa Sullivan-Werner

Project Year: 2009

Brief Description

The UMass Extension Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is part of a national nutrition education effort funded through the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP). The overarching goal of FNP is to provide nutrition education programs and activities that help adults and youth eligible for SNAP to establish healthy eating habits and physically active lifestyles.  To achieve this goal, our staff, based at UMass Amherst and in seven field offices (Boston, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, South Hadley, Springfield, and Worcester) will be working in partnership with 48 collaborators throughout the Commonwealth.

All FNP projects are jointly planned and implemented with community partners who devote significant time and resources and are highly invested in the program. University faculty and staff work closely with community agencies, school systems and other collaborators in developing an array of educational workshops, events and materials that are informative and engaging. The resulting statewide program has been consistently   successful at promoting healthy lifestyle choices with regard to food and physical activity.

Activities

• Single Session Workshops
• Series of Workshops
• Displays
• Newsletters
• Farmers Market Food Demonstrations
• Leave-Behind Materials for Teachers

Inputs: Time and Effort

Outcomes:

This Project will document progress towards the following:

• By January 15, 2009 the NEP Director, with input from staff teaching SPIN, will have developed and pilot tested a brief survey to test identified key indicators with participating SPIN youth.
• By September 30, at least 75% of school nurses who receive Food Explorer fruit and vegetable of the month posters for FSNE youth will report that the materials were useful, the materials were high quality, the FSNE youth took corresponding Food Explorer tip sheets for their parents.
• By September 30, at least 85% of school nurses who receive Food Explorer fruit and vegetable of the month posters for FSNE youth will display them and talk with youth about this information.
• By September 30, at least 50% of classroom teachers who use the FSNE leave-behind enrichment activities to extend the nutrition education lessons with FSNE youth participants will report that they observed improvements in the children’s nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviors.
• By September 30, at least 75% of classroom teachers receiving leave-behind enrichment activities to extend the nutrition education lessons with FSNE youth participants will report that they used the materials in their classrooms.
• By September 30, at least 75% of classroom teachers who use the FSNE leave-behind enrichment activities to extend the nutrition education lessons with FSNE youth participants will report that the materials were useful, the materials were high quality, the children were engaged in the lessons
• By November 30, 2008, the NEP Director, with input from staff teaching SPIN, will have identified key indicators of SPIN impacts on decision-making, dietary intakes, and physical activity.
• By September 30, 100% of educators will report that FSNE youth were engaged in the SPIN curriculum.
• By September 30, at least 50% of FSNE youth participating in SPIN will report at least four new things they have learned.
• By September 30, at least 50% of FSNE youth participating in SPIN will have completed at least 2 SPIN challenges and 2 SPIN-O behavior change records.

This project is a part of the Nutrition Education Program