Across Alabama, a transformative initiative is making waves, touching lives, and fostering healthier communities. The Alabama SNAP Education Program (SNAP-Ed), through its Live Well Alabama initiative, is not just a beacon of hope but a testament to the power of education, community engagement, and strategic investment. The Alabama SNAP-Ed program is not just about nutrition education; it is about empowering individuals, supporting partners, local farmers, businesses and schools, to build healthier communities.

The Alabama SNAP-Ed program, part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at Auburn University, is dedicated to improving the dietary and physical activity behaviors of individuals and families, particularly those in limited-resource communities. The program’s mission is encapsulated in its slogan, “Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice,” and it is evident in every action the team of 40 educators undertakes.

Live Well Alabama promotes healthy eating and active living using a variety of approaches, including hands-on nutrition and physical activity education; partnerships to increase access to healthy food and physical activity through changes to environments, systems, and policies; and health-focused communications strategies like billboards, digital ads, and social media. In 2024, SNAP-Ed’s dedicated staff educated 44,401 individuals and facilitated 989 policy changes, systems changes, and environmental improvements, positively impacting 73,474 individuals.

A critical component of SNAP-Ed is its support for local farmers and farmers markets engaging shoppers with educational activities and food demonstrations to help increase demand for local produce at markets. In many counties, educators work with community partners to sponsor and implement farmers market voucher programs. These programs not only provide fresh, nutritious food to shoppers but also bolster the local economy by directing funds to farmers at markets. For instance, SNAP-Ed educators like Kristen Sanders in Crenshaw County led the development of a Veggie Bucks program, receiving local donations that funded the distribution of vouchers to children of market shoppers who participated in her on-site nutrition education. Thanks to SNAP-Ed voucher programs like this, children experience the excitement of shopping for produce and interacting with farmers.

Cindy Harper, SNAP-Ed educator in St. Clair County, has taken nutrition programming full circle by partnering with local stores such as Piggly Wiggly in Ashville. After 15 weeks of nutrition education in the local elementary school, students received produce vouchers to purchase their favorite fruits and vegetables from the nearby grocery store, resulting in hundreds of dollars in produce vouchers redeemed by the students. This encourages healthy eating habits among children and demonstrates the store’s commitment to the community.

The SNAP-Ed Program’s Return on Investment is Substantial.

By promoting healthier lifestyles and providing education on nutrition and physical activity, SNAP-Ed helps reduce healthcare costs associated with diet-related diseases. The program’s impact on children’s health is profound. During the 2023-2024 school year, SNAP-Ed educators provided the Body Quest (BQ) program to 7,328 third graders in 109 schools. This program includes educator-led discussions, guided vegetable tastings, and hands-on activities that significantly improve students’ dietary habits and physical activity levels. After completing the BQ program, students reported increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy, and whole grains, as well as more water and fewer sugary beverages. Additionally, SNAP-Ed supported schools in developing or improving wellness policies and practices, such as increasing physical activity in the classroom and availability of fresh, local produce in cafeterias. These changes not only benefit the children’s health but also set the foundation for healthier future generations.

SNAP-Ed also connects with adults and families in places they visit every day, offering easy-to-follow nutrition education. In 2024, SNAP-Ed educators taught 6,549 adults using the Food Smarts curriculum lessons in grocery stores, food pantries, libraries, farmers markets, community centers, and more. After completing the classes, adults reported significant improvements in their eating habits, including increased fruit and vegetable intake and water consumption.

The commitment of SNAP-Ed educators is evident in their innovative approaches to engaging the community. For example, the Move Alabama Challenge encourages residents to stay active through statewide challenges, social media engagement, and community pop-up challenges. In 2024, county teams organized 62 pop-up challenges, engaging more than 4,004 individuals in physical activity. These events promote physical health and foster a sense of community and support for physical activity, paving the way for more permanent enhancements to the local physical activity environment.

The benefits of SNAP-Ed extend far beyond individual health, contributing to stronger communities, a more robust local economy, and a brighter future for Alabama’s children.

The commitment and passion of the SNAP-Ed educators, coupled with the tangible benefits of the program, make it a stand-out program that benefits Alabamians of all ages. We celebrate and support the incredible work of Alabama SNAP-Ed educators and the Live Well Alabama program as they continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of Alabamians. Learn more about Live Well Alabama at www.aces.edu.

Katie Funderburk, Assistant Director for Federal Nutrition Programs, and Erin Reznicek, Extension Specialist and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education Coordinator, both with Auburn University

New June 2025, SNAP-Ed Empowering Alabamians Through Live Well Alabama