Updated November 2020

Author: Physical Activity and Nutrition Program, Vermont Department of Health

Since the end of March, all in-person and classroom-based nutrition education classes and cooking demonstrations had to stop, due to the COVID pandemic. UVM extension and the Vermont Foodbank are transitioning content online and exploring virtual learning options to be offered. For these reasons, the numbers for this measure will be lower than originally estimated.

The Vermont Department of Health provides SNAP-Ed grant funding to the Vermont Foodbank and the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension to implement strategies in accordance with federal SNAP-Ed guidance that requires a combination of educational strategies accompanied by environmental supports designed to facilitate voluntary adoption of healthy food choices and active lifestyles. In Vermont, this work is being conducted in the Barre, Brattleboro, Bennington, Franklin, Newport, Rutland, and St Johnsbury, districts. These areas were selected based on several factors including household income, rates of obesity and other chronic conditions, and numbers of families eligible for SNAP.

For educational strategies, the Vermont Foodbank implements VT Fresh where staff travel to  participating food shelves and Veggie Van Go events to conduct food demonstrations and taste tests using a recipe using a fruit or vegetable available at the sites, as the primary ingredient. These are “drop-in” events. Whoever is at the site that day is invited and welcome to participate. Staff are trained to make the events very welcoming and friendly to all and choose popular days and times to hold the events. The food demonstrations are designed to increase the interest in, desire for, and ultimately consumption of fruits and vegetables among food shelf clients. The presentations address healthy cooking, basic nutrition, and food safety issues.

UVM Extension implements two programs, one for adults and one for youth. Eating Smart Being Active is a direct education series for parents and caregivers of children intended to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and food resource management. Sessions are held in school and community settings. Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness offers education sessions for children in grades 3 – 5 to promote fruit and vegetable consumption, healthy eating and physical activity.

The number reported here is a cumulative count of unduplicated individuals who participate in the food demos and classes each year. The Vermont Foodbank and UVM Extension estimates the number of people they will reach at the start of each grant year. They report progress toward meeting that goal to the State quarterly.

• Department for Children and Families: Fosters the healthy development, safety, well-being and self-sufficiency of Vermonters.

• Hunger Free Vermont: Works to end hunger and malnutrition for all Vermonters by helping people access food services, providing nutrition education, and raising awareness about hunger in Vermont and ways to ensure all Vermonters have access to food.

• Vermont Foodbank: Gathers and shares quality food and nurtures partnerships so that no one in Vermont will go hungry.

• Vermont Nutrition Education Committee (VNEC): Improves coordination and communication among state and private nutrition education provider agencies and federal nutrition programs; conducts statewide, cross-program nutrition education planning to promote shared goals and integrated approaches.

• Food shelves: Work in local communities to gather and share quality food and nurture partnerships so that no one in Vermont will go hungry.

• University of Vermont – Extension:  Empowers Vermonters to lead healthier lives through hands-on nutrition education. Programs serve income eligible parents, caregivers and expecting mothers, as well as children and teens.

• Vermont Department of Health, Office of Local Health

The federal SNAP-Ed guidance requires implementation of obesity prevention strategies designed to facilitate voluntary adoption of healthy food choices and active lifestyles conducive to the health and well-being of SNAP-Ed eligible people. It further states: “SNAP-Ed has the greatest potential to impact obesity prevention related behaviors of the overall low income population when it targets women and children”.

FNS requires SNAP-Ed programs use evidence-based or best-practice informed, direct educational interventions combined with environmental and/or policy level strategies. They provide a toolkit of evidenced-based obesity prevention strategies and interventions appropriate for SNAP-Ed.

The Vermont Department of Health will continue to support the Vermont Foodbank and UVM Extension’s work in the SNAP-Ed communities. The projects are funded annually with progress monitored throughout the year through:

• Quarterly reports: provides numbers of people reached and descriptions of challenges and success each quarter.
• Site visits by the State: provides an opportunity for state leadership to see programs in action.
• Monthly phone calls: provides program manager and program staff an opportunity to share updates, upcoming events, opportunities to problems solve if needed and share successes
• Partner meetings: that all attend such as the Vermont Nutrition Education Committee (VNEC) and Farm to Plate Food Access: opportunity to collaborate and coordinate nutrition services and activities across the state.

Based on the above monitoring, the State provides assistance, guidance, and resources as necessary to ensure success by the grantees toward meeting their goals.