The massachusetts expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) is a national award designed to improve the nutrition and health of low-income families with young children

EFNEP helps low-income families (adults and youth) improve their nutritional health and food security through hands-on, interactive lessons where program participants learn to improve food and physical activity behaviors. EFNEP focuses on working with community partners and supports an improved nutrition and physical environment for low-income families by engaging community partners in making policy, system, and environmental (PSE) changes. These changes create environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice, for low-income families and our adult and youth EFNEP participants. In massachusetts enfep staff across the state identify individuals from target communities who are recruited and trained to deliver six to nine nutrition education lessons to small groups of families or youth. Educators teach with a special understanding of the lifestyles, food-ways, and challenges that families face and in a language they understand. Project staff use a creative curriculum that engages participants in group discussions, cooking demonstrations, food tasting, music, fun physical activities, and other hands-on learning. Staff are based at umass amherst and in four field offices across the state (raynham, lawrence, springfield, and worcester).