UK SNAP Ed Program 2017

The University of Kentucky (UK) shall strive to improve the nutrition and physical activity practices of Kentuckians through multi-level interventions involving education, marketing and promotion, and policy, systems and environmental changes. Both direct and indirect methods will be utilized. The target audience for SNAP-Ed services includes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) families, single parents, teen parents, (head of household), children and youth, elderly, homeless, and disabled persons, and persons with limited English proficiency. Services may be provided in all 120 counties of the Commonwealth. UK will provide direct education to small and large groups of the target audience regarding Dietary Quality, Food Security, Food Safety and Food Shopping and Resource Management. These programs will assist the target audience to adopt diet and lifestyle behaviors that are consistent with established SNAP-Ed Guiding Principles, which include the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and provide classes/workshops on how to access, prepare and preserve nutritious foods. Temporary technical paraprofessionals may be used to provide nutrition education in counties identified as areas of greatest need. Demonstrations will be conducted in locations such as the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) offices, food banks, and senior voucher Farmer's Market Nutrition Program sites. The demonstrations may include, but not be limited to; taste-testing, physical activity, and gardening and food preservation. Classes/workshops will assist the target audience in learning how to prepare nutritious foods, proper food storage, food safety and kitchen hygiene. Social media, newsletters, billboards, direct mail, and youth magazines will be utilized to increase the reach of SNAP-Ed projects. UK will also research, design, implement and evaluate a campaign to promote home preparation of family meals aimed at changing the following behaviors; where families purchase foods (grocery vs. drive-through fast food), the types of foods families purchase (produce, dairy vs. ready-to-eat), family cooking skills and habits (quick, fresh dishes vs. prepared foods), and family time management (home-cooked meals vs. prepared meals). The results of this social marketing research will inform all aspects of UK SNAP-Ed services, both direct and indirect interventions. Policy, systems and environmental (PSE) approaches to changing Kentuckians’ nutrition and lifestyle related behavior will be implemented primarily by county agents at the local level. Some examples of PSE approaches utilized include working with a local coalition to improve food choices at corner stores in limited resource areas, serving on a local school wellness committee to improve nutrition and physical activity policies, and working with a local food service director to implement a farm to school program.