We are writing to ask for your consideration concerning the recent proposed cuts to the SNAP-Ed program. SNAP-Ed is an evidence-based program that teaches people how to make their SNAP dollars stretch, shop for and cook healthy meals, and lead physically active lifestyles.

SNAP-Ed partners with state and local organizations to meet people where they are. SNAP-Ed initiatives include nutrition education classes, social marketing campaigns, and efforts to improve policies, systems, and the environment of communities.

Fulton County SNAP-Ed program helps us provide nutrition education not only in our community (daycare and low-income apartments), but we also deliver the evidence-based SNAP-Ed program to the three school districts in Fulton County and nine senior centers in Fulton, Bedford, and Huntingdon Counties.

Nutrition education in these locations can be detailed as follows:

Daycare – Fulton County SNAP-Ed’s Nutrition Education Assistant (NEA) delivers evidence-based nutrition education to the daycare children. Children learn about healthy eating and the importance of healthy foods, beginning with planting gardens and ending with trying healthy fruits and vegetables.
Low-income housing – SNAP-Ed delivers a summer nutrition education program for the children of this community. A community garden is made available to participating children and to other families who are interested in learning how to garden. We provide the garden plots which are adjoined to the housing area at the Fulton County Food Basket. We also provide the plants, seeds, and tools needed to help them grow and be self-sufficient.
School-age programs – Our nutrition educators visit the three school districts in Fulton County weekly and provide lessons on healthy eating. Students participate in activities including taste tests from the five food groups, with an emphasis on eating more fruits and vegetables. Along with the education, students who receive free and reduced-price lunch have the opportunity to receive a bag of healthy food each week, known as a backpack GEM (Grow, Eat, Move) Program. These students receive SNAP-Ed nutrition education weekly from an evidence-based curriculum. In the past seven years we have provided 115,692 nutritionally-balanced backpacks to students in need.
Senior Centers – Monthly nutrition classes are delivered to nine Senior Centers in Fulton, Bedford, and Huntingdon Counties. Seniors enjoy hearing up-to-date information on healthy eating and look forward to assisting in preparing and tasting healthy recipes.
Fulton County Food Basket partners with Fulton County SNAP-Ed Healthy Pantry Initiative. This project is in collaboration with the PA Department of Health and is aimed at increasing access to healthy foods and beverages in food pantries and promoting healthy food choices among food pantry clients.

We are planning new programs to be implemented in the coming year. One includes making use of greenhouses at two of the county schools and purchasing two growing towers to involve middle and high school students in learning the importance of healthy foods and how to grow fruits and vegetables, including giving back to the school cafeterias. This will include growing vegetable plants for the Community Garden Program. The other is the Parks Rx Program for senior citizens, through which they would get prescriptions to attend Walking Paths, Exercise and SNAP-Ed Nutrition Programs held at local parks in all three county communities.

Here are testimonials from participants in our programs:

“The teacher does a great job! I really enjoy the food tastings and sometimes think it would be nice to get a bigger bowl full!”
– Nelson Walker Hustontown Senior Center

“We love the smoothies the best! It was fun making and eating the bean dip in the Marty the Moose class.”
– Landon and Miles Bender 3rd Grade Students

Sincerely,
Susan Cubbage
Director of Fulton County SNAP-Ed

Want to join our Save SNAP-Ed campaign? Share this story or explore our full Voices of SNAP-Ed website, visit savesnaped.org for up-to-date advocacy resources, or amplify our social media messages on Instagram. #SNAPEdWorks #SaveSNAPEd

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