Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program

Somerset County EFNEP

Improving Nutrition for Maryland Families
and Youth

What is EFNEP?

EFNEP is the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Maryland Cooperative Extension of the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Its mission is to help limited-income families and youth acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior changes necessary to maintain nutritionally sound diets and enhance personal development.

EFNEP adult are taught individually or in small groups by Extension Nutrition Assistants and volunteers trained by Extension educators. The majority of participants complete the EFNEP curriculum in less than 12 months. Over 92% improve their diets; over 95% are better able to select nutritious foods; and over 85% improve their ability to prepare food safely. Personal development and self-esteem is also addressed. Participants are made aware of the importance of child immunizations, physical exams, mammograms and tax credits. A large number of EFNEP graduates find employment, return to school, leave the welfare role, have their children immunized, file tax credits, and have physical exams and mammograms.

EFNEP youth are taught in summer or year-round enrichment programs conducted by 4-H staff and volunteers. Youth learn to eat a variety of foods and to avoid foods with high fat, sugar, and salt contents. They increase their knowledge of the essentials of human nutrition and they increase their ability to select low-cost nutritious foods. For EFNEP youth program information or to schedule a program call 410-651-1350 or contact 4-H Educator Lisa Dennis or 4-H Program assistant Nicole Ramirez.

What Does EFNEP Do?

EFNEP teaches participants how to:

Make more nutritious food choices
Manage food budgets and resources wisely
Improve prenatal nutrition and infant feeding practices
Adopt breast feeding
Improve overall health and fitness through diet and exercise
Reduce risks of such chronic diseases as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and the resulting complications, through dietary changes and early diagnosis
Practice proper safety, sanitation, and storage methods
Achieve lasting improvements in nutrition and food safety-related behaviors

EFNEP is an important program in Somerset County and its communities. Somerset County Extension maintains three Nutrition Assistants that serve the Lower Shore Tri-County area Jeanette Morgan, Joy Hawke and Maria "Loli" LaPlante.

For program information or to schedule a program call 410-651-1350 or contact the EFNEP Supervisor, Ingrid H. Holmes, iholmes@umd.edu.

For more information, contact Carole Bevan

Last updated: 03/13/2009