SNAP-Ed works with individuals, families, community agencies, schools, policy makers, and others to educate, empower, and support change. SNAP-Ed uses multiple approaches to deliver healthy eating and active lifestyle messages to the community. These include :

Nutrition Education: Using a hands-on, interactive teaching style, we offer classes on a variety of topics: healthy eating on a budget, smart shopping for vegetables and fruit, healthy meal planning, basic cooking and food safety skills, and weight control and physical activity. Our teams will work with you to design programs for youth, adults, and/or seniors, and will come directly to your agency.

Programs can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes, and may include a food demonstration. We will talk with you about what is the most appropriate program design for your community, school, or agency.

Positive health and nutrition social marketing messages can lead to positive community-wide behavior change. Our agency creates informative social marketing material for all populations and provides technical assistance on placement and distribution. Contact us about how your organization can receive our nutrition and obesity prevention materials.

Other community programming designed to promote healthy eating includes: SNAP-Ed goes beyond programming to support and influence community-level health promotion where we work, live, learn, and play. Education can only be applied when an individual has support structures in place to do so. SNAP-Ed programs across the state work can work with you on a variety of programs:

• SNAP Healthy Retail: This program provides technical assistance to SNAP authorized retailers to help with promoting and marketing healthy foods. The goal is to increase the purchase of healthy foods among SNAP eligible New Yorkers. We will provide retailers with a variety of tools, resources, and outreach activities to help build the capacity of retailers to inspire healthy changes among consumers. (OTDA reviewed)

• Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) Program: The FVRx program creates a system where health care providers in the community can write prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables in partnership with SNAP-Ed programs and local food retailers. Participants in the program receive vouchers to spend at local farmers’ markets, farm stands, and other retail options – giving additional purchasing power to people who need it most.

• Community Obesity Prevention Programs: Are you already providing SNAP-Ed nutrition education workshops, and looking to take it a step further? This program is designed to encourage partnering agencies to become role models, or Champions for Change. SNAP-Ed teams will provide engaging nutrition education and professional development training to partnering agencies and local human services staff so they can support their patrons.

• Farm to Worksite or Community Site: This program improves access and eliminates barriers to fresh produce by coordinating a farmer’s market or foodbox distribution at qualifying locations. We will provide training and technical assistance to farmers and interested locations, along with nutrition education and food demonstrations at the site.
• School Wellness and Smarter Lunchrooms: This program provides qualifying schools and their districts with tools, resources, workshops, and professional development training that promote healthy eating and physical activity among children, staff, and families. We can work with your schools to review and update wellness policies, conduct school environment assessments, as well as offer training on various topics such as healthy celebrations, brain breaks, and creating a smarter lunchroom.

• Peer-led Obesity Programs: The influence of peers on young people’s health behaviors during adolescence can be very valuable. SNAP-Ed educators will provide training and technical assistance to middle and/or high school peer leaders, so that they can effectively facilitate peer groups aimed to encourage healthy eating and physical activity among their friends and community.

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