SNAP-Ed Supports Families with Their Nutrition Goals

Published: 2019
By Jeanette Allday

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) offers classes teaching the importance of good nutrition, physical activity, food resource management and food safety. Classes are free of change and available to SNAP eligible adults and elementary students in first, third and fifth grades. This year, 140 SNAP-Ed classes were conducted, reaching 280 adults and children. Classes were taught in partnership with a variety of organizations including Child Start, Sanders County Coalition for Families and WIC as well as in 5 school districts. Multiple local agencies have expressed interest in partnering with SNAP-Ed to host and promote the free classes for the clients they serve in the upcoming year. In addition to holding classes, SNAP-Ed works within the community to develop changes that make the healthy choice the easy choice for community members. To this end, SNAP-Ed is partnering with local schools that participate in Montana's Harvest of the Month Program working to introduce school children to healthy, locally-grown food options. As well, SNAP-Ed assists local farmer's markets to navigate the process of accepting SNAP dollars and participate in Montana's Double Bucks program.