EFNEP Programs for Families with Children

teaching an adult class EFNEP Logo

Improving Nutrition for Maryland Families

What is EFNEP
EFNEP stands for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. EFNEP is funded by the USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the University of Maryland Extension

EFNEP Mission
The major goals of EFNEP are to help limited-income families and youth acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavorial changes necessary for health/wellness and prevention of chronic disease.

Objectives of EFNEP

Choose healthy foods for their family
Make healthy food choices during pregnancy and while breast-feeding
Choose nutritious snacks for children
Lose weight sensibly
Compare prices and save on their food bill
Plan and prepare healthy meals
Handle and store foods safely
Prepare new foods and recipes
Become physically active

EFNEP families are taught individually or in small groups. The program is delivered in a culturally sensitive manner in Montgomery county; the curriculum is delivered to Vietnamese families in the Vietnamese language, and in Montgomery and Prince George's counties to Hispanic families in Spanish. Nancy teaching In 2010-2011 EFNEP Educators (paraprofessionals) under the supervision of EFNEP supervisors delivered the nutrition program to 2,486 families and 7,757 youth in eight Maryland counties and the city of Baltimore.

Creating Community Partnerships for Success
Our community partners are:

over 270 community collaborators
WIC offices
Food Stamp (SNAP) offices
The Head Start Program
GED programs
Health and recreation centers
Public housing projects
Family support groups
School parent groups
Schools for teenage mothers
Centers for recovering addicts
Transitional housing groups
Churches
The Salvation Army
The American Cancer Society

EFNEP collaborates with the Center for Poverty Solutions to offer The Super Pantry Program.
Goals of the program are:

To help participants become food secure;
To improve the diet and nutritional status of participants;
To increase self-reliance and self-esteem;
To create strong support networks;
To empower.

The Program includes:

Eight (two hour each) lessons
A bag of groceries to carry home
The opportunity to prepare and consume the foods prepared
Recipes
Tips regarding food safety and food storage
Food budgeting, supermarket shopping, unit price, understanding food labels, and cutting fat from foods
Use of the food guide pyramid

The program also provides information about food co-ops, and other programs such as The Share Program and The Ship Program which allow clients to stretch their food dollars.

Dealing with Diverse Audiences

Use of indigenous paraprofessionals for delivering the EFNEP message
Diversity training of educators to foster cultural competence
Programming that is culturally appropriate
African-American Teens
New Hispanic Immigrants
Vietnamese Population: Programs are delivered to the Vietnamese population in Vietnamese and extended via educational programming on Vietnamese Public Radio, which reaches audiences in Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland
Programming for Hispanic populations in Spanish and for New Hispanic Immigrants while teaching English as a second language
Website on Nutritional Education Materials in languages other than English in collaboration with Information Specialists at the National Agricultural Library

In 2010-2011 Adult EFNEP participants made several important changes involving nutrition and food safety.

85% showed improvement in one or more food resource management practices.
88% showed improvement in one or more nutrition practices.
62% showed improvement in one or more of the food safety practices.

Outcomes of EFNEP

55% increased fruit intake.
52% increased vegetable intake.
52% plan meals most of the time.

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For more information, contact Terri Kieckhefer

Last updated: 11/9/2011