Success with Families Earns WVU Extension Excellence Award for Nutrition Team

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To be archived (Adminstration) after October 20, 2008

The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) Administrative Team received the West Virginia University Extension Service Unit Excellence Award for developing and leading a successful nutrition and physical activity education program for limited-resource families throughout the state.   

The health education group was honored during a recognition luncheon held recently at WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp, Weston. Led by Jeff Olson, WVU Extension specialist, the Charleston-based award winners are Brooke Baker, Misty Buchanan, Cathy Cleland, Betty French, Judy Hamilton, Dhirachai Smuthkochorn, Karen Stover and Lauren Weatherford.  

While researching and developing curricula and managing budgets, the FNP team supports the efforts of 50 nutrition outreach instructors who work in 42 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. The Family Nutrition Program helps limited-resource families—generally referred to as the “working poor”— learn and use new skills to improve their health.

WVU Extension evaluations reveal FNP’s success. Families are stretching their food dollars, purchasing healthier low-cost foods, eating more fruits and vegetables, and increasing their safe food-handling skills.

During the summer of 2007, the team’s Healthy Camp Challenge curriculum guided 2,800 children in 98 programs—ranging from WVU 4-H’s summer camps and Energy Express sites to summer school classes and day camps across the state. The versatile curriculum can be taught as single lessons or integrated into a residential camp.

As part of the West Virginia Nutrition Network, the team is helping implement the Pick-A-Better-Snack campaign throughout the state.

FNP reaches families living at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line and youths attending schools where more than 50 percent of their students receive free and reduced-price lunches. FNP schedules programs at times and locations preferred by participants.

The team is headquartered at the WVU Charleston Research Campus, Building 740, 3200/3300 Kanawha Turnpike, PO Box 18410, South Charleston WV 25303. For more information about WVU Extension’s Family Nutrition Program, call 720-9870 or visit the Web (www.ext.wvu.edu/fnp/).  Information about other youth and family programs is also on the Web (www.ext.wvu.edu).

—WVU-ES—

fsm 11/07

Last modified November 15, 2007
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