Wildcat Connection October 2018 | Page 30

Katrina Even

EFNEP Agent/Instructor

S

eptember was an exciting and fruitful month for the EFNEP and SNAP-Ed programs in the Wildcat District. In addition to new program partnerships, the nutrition assistants were able to join other NAs from across the state for a day training on campus and had the opportunity to shadow a more experienced educator’s SNAP-Ed program. We are excited to have great opportunities to further the training, education and experiential learning of our nutrition assistants.

Our programming has expanded to several new partners and this month were able to provide education to a wide age-range of school students, elderly adults, mothers of young children and recovering addicts. Along with direct education, we’ve continued to see great success in connecting with new types of partners and continue to watch those partnership bonds strengthen. Since beginning a program at a women’s rehabilitation center in Crawford County a couple of months ago, we’ve begun programming at a similar center in Montgomery county and are in conversation with a new center opening soon in Coffeyville. It is encouraging to see the opportunities grow and ideas spread throughout the district!

The EFENP program had a large involvement with Parents University this month. We were excited to join other early-childhood resource providers to host a fun and educational night out for the family. We had applied for and were awarded a mini-grant from the Midwest Dairy Council and were able to utilize some of that money to provide a healthy snack and nutrition education for the families in attendance. With the additional grant money, we will be able to offer one or two additional one-time educational opportunities, which can be incredibly useful ways to recruit participants and create new partnerships with area organizations. Parents University was a hit this year and we are excited to continue to be part of the event.

It is with great disappointment that this will be my last board report, as I will be relocating at the end of October. I am extremely grateful for the warm welcome and strong support I have received as a member of the Wildcat District team over my short time here. We have wonderful people in our district and I am excited to see the impact that KSRE will have in southeast Kansas in the days, months and years to come. Thank you to our board for everything you do to keep us running well and on the right path! I wish the very best for all the program areas moving forward and will always remember my time here.

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