UNE鈥檚 Maine SNAP-Ed program launches educational efforts
Maine SNAP-Ed, a UNE program overseen by Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPH, director of Public Health Programs, that provides nutrition education to people across Maine, with a focus on those living with low incomes, recently launched its educational efforts.
In its first two months, the Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMPs), UNE's community-based partners, provided education to over 5,300 Mainers, including cooking classes to almost 3,300 people.
Healthy Androscoggin and Healthy Lakes conducted classes with teens; St. Mary's conducted a class at a local elementary school, utilizing legumes and green leafy vegetables in a receipe, which is now being offered by that school's lunch program; and several HMPs have successfully conducted classes in food pantry locations, in collaboration with those organizations and Good Shepherd Food Bank.
SNAP-Ed is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of SNAP-Ed is to improve the likelihood that persons eligible for SNAP will make healthy choices within a limited budget and choose active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate.