CONTACT:
Sandy Broughton
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$1.76 MILLION GRANT HELPS FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS MAKE SMART FOOD CHOICES
BLACKSBURG, Feb. 12, 1998 -- Virginia Tech has been awarded a $1.76 million dollar grant by the U.S. Departmemt of Agriculture to continue and expand the Smart Choices Nutrition Education Program (SCNEP) which teaches food stamp recipients about nutrition, health, and the wise use of food resources.
There are 46 SCNEP program offices statewide and about two-thirds of Virginia's 110 counties and independent cities are covered by the food stamp nutrition education program. In 1997, 2555 families or households were enrolled in the program, including 6066 family members and 1895 children under the age of 18. "We hope to reach about 8,000 food stamp and other low-income families this year," says Ruby Cox, state SCENP coordinator.
During any one month, there are approximately 238,000 households receiving food stamps in Virginia. For a family of four, the estimated cost of its entire food supply for a month ranges from $340 if family members are extremely thrifty to $626 if they are moderate in purchases. For a family that relies on food stamps to make ends meet, wise food choices can make a huge difference--the difference between being able to pay the rent or to afford child care or medical care. But utilizing limited food resources to obtain a healthy food intake requires nutrition knowledge, food skills, and planning.
That's why the Smart Choices Nutrition Education Program (SCNEP) was initiated in 1996. The project, funded for the third year, is a joint undertaking of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise in the College of Human Resources and Education and the Family and Consumer Sciences program of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE). Ruby Cox, a Tech faculty member and VCE specialist in human nutrition, foods, and exercise, is the state SCNEP coordinator, and she is assisted in the program by several faculty members in the College of Human Resources and Education.
"The behaviors we see in food stamp recipients--for instance drinking soda instead of milk or choosing fast food and snack-type items--are not much different than the general population. The difference is that, for food stamp households, it is an economic issue as well as a health issue. They simply can't afford bad food habits," Cox says. "To get the most out of food resources--and achieve the healthiest diet--foods for all meals and snacks need to be purchased at a grocery store and prepared at home," says Cox. "The food stamp allowance does not allow for eating in restaurants, buying low-nutrient snacks, or ready-prepared foods at a supermarket deli. Those choices can really increase the amount of money a family must devote to food."
The SCNEP lesson series is based on the identified nutrition problems and educational level of clients and emphasize hands-on learning activities. Food and nutrition needs of both the elderly and young families are addressed. "Part of what we do is train people in the community as program assistants to work with families in their own home setting or neighborhood." Recently, a toll-free telephone hotline was initiated.
Though tracking food habits is difficult, assessments show that 90 percent of participants made improvements in food choices and practices as a result of SCNEP. Participants are increasing their nutrient intake and are doing more meal planning and label reading to select food with less sodium and fat. They are also doing a better job of food buying, providing breakfasts for children, and practicing food safety. At program exit, 40 percent fewer households ran out of food or food stamps before the end of the month. There are other benefits of the program which are harder to measure. Cox says "some clients gain confidence in themselves and feel as though they can do other things to improve their lives, like getting a job or a GED."
In addition to the USDA grant, SCNEP is supported by in-kind resources of local VCE offices, which are funded by state and local governments. Thirty-nine states have initiated similar nutrition education programs through their Cooperative Extension networks.
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