EFNEP -- EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

FOR EVERY $1 OF EFNEP PROGRAMMING CONTRIBUTED IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY,
$10.64 IS SAVED ON HEALTH CARE COSTS AND $2.48 IS SAVED ON FOOD EXPENDITURES!

EFNEP is one of the best kept secrets in Escambia County – we’re working hard to change that! EFNEP is a no-cost program for limited-resource families and youth funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and managed by the University of Florida IFAS Extension.

EFNEP teaches our participants to make nutritious food choices for their families and to spend their food dollars wisely by teaching basic nutrition education, meal planning, shopping skills, cooking skills, and food safety. EFNEP is taught in small group settings by nutrition educators, generally in a series of six sessions for youth and nine sessions for adults. Upon completion of the EFNEP series, adult graduates receive a certificate from the University of Florida.

Am I in the target audience?

If you care for young children and receive any of the following services, you qualify!

Adults – WIC, SNAP (Food Stamps), HEAD START, FREE/REDUCED LUNCH, CASH ASSISTANCE
Youth – Youth in schools, daycares, community centers, etc. with 51% or more free/reduced lunch qualify.

Adult EFNEP

EFNEP’s primary purpose is to give adults the skills they need to make nutritious choices for their families and ultimately
improve their overall health.
Series of lessons, group format.
Research based information – not internet based or personal opinion.
Certificate from University of Florida upon completion.
24 Hour Food Recall and Behavior Questionnaire at entry and exit.
Annually, approximately 82% improvement in knowledge and practice of Diet Quality, Physical Activity, Food Safety, Food Security, and Food Resource Management!

EFNEP Curriculum

Hands-on food prep and tastings
Basic nutrition (nutrients, Choose MyPlate, reading food labels)
Meal planning, saving money on food
Physical activity (family friendly – Move More!)
Food safety
Healthy eating for pregnant moms and feeding your new baby

Locations

We teach classes at parent-focused organizations like Council on Aging (Grandparents Raising Grandchildren), Pathways for Change, DCF Access, Habitat for Humanity, and Community Action Program – Head Start.
We also work with Faith-based organizations, Substance Abuse Treatment centers, Low-income Housing, Community Centers, and GED and ESOL classes.

Youth EFNEP

4-H EFNEP is the youth component of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, which provides education to young people age 5-18 with a practical, hands-on approach to nutrition and food preparation.
Learn by Doing concept
Locations – SCHOOLS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, COMMUNITY CENTERS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
Annually, approximately 85% of EFNEP youth improve knowledge or skills necessary to choose foods according to Federal Dietary Guidelines. Almost 50% improve food safety practices and increase physical activity.

History

During the 1960s, there was recognition of the link between poverty and malnutrition and the fact that many Americans were not only poor but were suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Educational programs and resources were not reaching segments of the population, including low-income groups. Pilot studies in several states helped identify effective approaches for contacting, teaching, and maintaining education programs with people who lived in poverty. Recommendations based on results of these pilot studies were the basis for initiating EFNEP in 1969.

Three basic concepts arose from the pilots and served as guidelines for implementing EFNEP.

Existing home economics programs could be modified to effectively reach low-income audiences.
UF/IFAS Extension FCS/Nutrition Agents can teach and supervise peer nutrition educators who, in turn, teach caregivers of young children in low-income households.

A nutrition education program tailored to the needs, interests, competencies, and economical and educational levels of limited-resource families, and delivered by peer nutrition educators, who are indigenous to the target audience, can change participants’ buying, preparation, and eating habits.