EFNEP Celebrates 30 Years In Alabama

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is Extension at it's best and it began right here in Alabama.

It began in Alabama, with a five-year cooperative effort called "The Pilot Project Involving Young Homemakers in Low- Income Rural Areas of Alabama. The project, conducted in Baldwin, Calhoun, Houston, Marion and Walker counties, tested ways to teach homemaking skills and provide education to limited-resource families.

The national Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is an expansion of Alabama's pilot project. When money was appropriated for a nationwide nutrition program in 1968, Alabama's study was used as the model.

Alabama initiated EFNEP in 19 counties in 1969. By July 1972, the adult phase of EFNEP was implemented statewide.

The Basic EFNEP program pairs a county program assistant and a homemaker. The program assistant travels to the home and works with the homemaker to teach food preparation skills. Homemakers learn how to plan nutritious meals, stretch food dollars at the store and use good food safety practices when preparing foods. The program assistant also helps each homemaker use the resources available in her kitchen to cook foods that her family will enjoy. Recipes are simple, and make use of common household items for measuring when accurate measuring devices aren't available (using empty cans for measuring cups, etc). The program develops self-esteem in the participants and promotes health through good nutrition.

Many people cooperate to make EFNEP successful in the counties. Program coordinators and specialists at the state level prepare training and resource materials for county programs.

At the county level, Extension agents conduct the EFNEP program. They provide on-the-job training and supervise part- time paraprofessionals and volunteers who teach homemakers and youth.

Through its curricula and with help from local para- professionals, EFNEP continues to address the needs of low-income families.

In 1997-98 EFNEP, through efforts of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System reached more than 24,888 people through the following:

Ninety-five percent of EFNEP clients are female and 5 percent are male; 58 percent are black, 40 percent white and 2 percent other races; 49 percent live in rural towns under 10,000 population; 29 percent live in towns of 10,000-50,000 population; and 23 percent live in cities with more than 50,000 people.