The Evening Sun | EFNEP Brings Hands-On Nutrition Education To Chenango County Families
EFNEP Brings Hands-On Nutrition Education To Chenango County Families
Published:
July 10th, 2026
By:
Rebecca Laibowitz
CCE Chenango through EFNEP offers free courses to help families and individuals develop healthier eating habits, improve food safety practices, and make better use of limited food resources. Pictured are participants of a previous “Chopped” competition. (Submitted photo)
CHENANGO
COUNTY
–
The
Expanded
Food
and
Nutrition
Education
Program
(EFNEP)
delivered
locally
through
Cornell
Cooperative
Extension
of
Chenango
County
(CCE
Chenango),
offers
free,
hands-on,
nutrition
education
courses
to
help
individuals
and
families
develop
healthier
eating
habits,
improve
food
safety
practices,
and
make
better
use
of
limited
food
resources.
Unlike
SNAP-Ed,
which
typically
provides
one-time
lessons
to
families
enrolled
in
SNAP,
EFNEP
is
built
around
weeks-long
courses
that
teach
skills
progressively.
“SNAP-Ed
is
more
like
a
one-time
stop
type
of
education,
where
you
receive
information
and
education
on
one
particular
topic
or
item
in
a
one-time
setting,”
said
Mary
Close
CCE
Chenango’s
EFNEP
Nutrition
Educator,
“Whereas
EFNEP,
we
have
the
expanded
part
of
our
acronym,
is
all
of
our
lessons,
it’s
a
series
long
education.”
Close
explained
that
EFNEP
classes
range
from
six
to
nine
lessons
where
families
start
with
basic
skills
and
build
on
them.
Lessons
revolve
around
overcoming
food
insecurities,
improving
food
resource
management,
and
maintaining
a
balanced
lifestyle.
“EFNEP
also
focuses
on
stretching
food
budgets,
“
said
Close,
“We’re
pretty
assured
that’s
going
to
become
more
of
an
item
that
people
that
want
to
enroll
in
classes
want
information
on.”
In
reference
to
shrinking
access
to
SNAP
benefits
and
rising
costs
of
groceries.
Story Continues Below Adverts
About
the
Local
EFNEP
Programs
Currently
CCE
Chenango
offers
three
programs,
tailored
to
different
stages
of
life
and
family
needs.
Some
are
designed
for
pregnancy
and
feeding
infants,
one
is
called
“Eating
Smart,
Being
Active”,
and
a
new
pilot
program
called
“Cooking
with
Kids”
that
just
launched
in
July
2026.
One
of
the
most
popular
offerings,
“Eating
Smart,
Being
Active,”
targets
adults
and
teaches
participants
how
to
manage
several
aspects
of
household
nutrition.
“In
that
class,
that’s
the
one
where
we’re
really
focusing
on
improving
food
insecurity,
food
resource
management,
stretching
grocery
bills,
60%
or
better,”
said
Close.
Close
also
emphasizes
that
these
programs
are
adaptable
and
based
on
what
a
families
need
useful
information
on.
Each
lesson
is
designed
to
build
on
the
previous
one,
from
what
Close
describes
as
“eating
the
rainbow”
of
fruits
and
vegetables
to
incorporating
whole
grains
and
understanding
portions
sizes.
“There’s
a
different
topic
each
week
that
builds
on
the
week
before,”
Close
said,
“everything
is
anchored
to
the
lesson
before
it.”
This
summer,
CCE
Chenango
launched
a
new
pilot
program
called
“Cooking
with
Kids,”
a
fully
interactive
class
where
caregivers
and
children
learn
side-by-side.
Families
commit
to
at
least
seven
weeks
of
hands-on
cooking
and
nutrition
activities.
“We’re
empowering
the
families
to
work
with
their
children
on
the
overarching
theme
of
building
healthy
habits
and
what
that
looks
like,”
said
Close.
Classes
happen
year
round
at
CCE
Chenango’s
Norwich
office,
as
well
as
partner
sites
in
Greene
and
Afton.
Close
noted
that
offering
classes
around
the
county
has
been
especially
beneficial
because
the
educator
“can
actually
take
the
education
to
the
individual
or
to
the
family.”
How
to
Enroll
in
EFNEP
Classes,
it’s
accessible
Enrollment
in
EFNEP
is
simple
and
accessible.
Families
do
not
need
to
provide
income
documentation,
instead,
they
self-report
basic
information,
such
as
name,
age,
town
of
residence,
and
the
ages
of
children
in
their
care.
“We’re
not
collecting
any
pay
stubs
or
tax
records.
We’re
not
collecting
any
of
that
information,”
Close
said,
“We
understand
that
sort
of
stuff’s
personal,
but
no
matter
your
situation,
nutrition
education
is
the
same
thing.”
Upcoming
classes
are
posted
on
the
CCE
Chenango
events
calendar,
and
fliers
are
often
distributed
at
local
community
events.
Interested
participants
can
register
online,
call
the
CCE
office,
or
contact
Close
directly.
After
a
brief
conversation
to
understand
the
family
or
individual’s
goals,
Close
recommends
the
curriculum
that
best
fits
their
needs
and
helps
coordinate
scheduling.
EFNEP
asks
participants
to
commit
to
one
hour
per
week
for
six
to
nine
weeks.
The
next,
Eating
Smart,
Being
Active,
series
is
tentatively
planned
to
begin
around
August
19,
with
additional
Cooking
with
Kids
groups
forming
based
in
interest.
EFNEP
currently
has
openings
for
a
variety
of
educational
programs
designed
for
parents,
kinship
caregivers,
adults
ages
18
to
25,
and
youth
in
grades
3
through
12.
All
classes
are
offered
free
of
charge
to
eligible
participants,
and
several
educational
reinforcements
and
resources
are
provided
for
participants
to
take
home
and
use
with
their
families.
As
communities
face
ongoing
economic
and
health
challenges,
EFNEP
remains
committed
to
promoting
nutrition
education
and
strengthening
the
health
of
families
for
generations
to
come.
Individuals
interested
in
learning
more
about
EFNEP
or
enrolling
in
upcoming
classes
are
encouraged
to
contact
Mary
Close
at
Chenango
Cornell
Cooperative
Extension
by
at
mkc244@cornell.edu
or
by
calling
CCE
Chenango
office
and
asking
for
Mary.
Story Continues Below Adverts
EFNEP
participants
receive
a
certificate
of
completion
from
Cornell
University
Close
emphasized
that
EFNEP’s
mission
is
simple:
give
families
the
tools
to
make
meaningful,
sustainable
changes.
“If
you
can
commit
to
one
hour
a
week,
we
definitely
have
the
ability
to
give
you
the
tools
to
make
improvements,”
Close
said.
Lessons
often
include
meal
planning,
grocery
shopping
strategies,
food
preparation
techniques,
and
food
safety
practices.
Participants
are
encouraged
to
make
small,
realistic
changes
that
can
lead
to
long-term
improvements
in
health
and
well-being.
Participants
who
complete
any
series
of
EFNEP
receive
a
certificate
of
completion
from
Cornell
University.
Which
according
to
Close,
some
young
adults
have
successfully
used
to
obtain
employment
in
the
county.
“Because
we
do
focus
on
safe
kitchen
skills,
safe
cooking
skills,”
Close
said.
“Everybody
that
completes
any
of
our
programs
will
get
a
certificate
of
completion
from
Cornell
University,”
said
Close.
As
EFNEP
enters
its
second
year
in
Chenango
county,
as
part
of
a
five
year
grant,
Close
hopes
more
families
and
young
adults
will
take
advantage
of
the
free,
evidence-based
programming.
“We’re
benefiting
families
as
a
whole,”
said
Close,
“Both
the
youth
and
the
adults
in
our
community
are
making
better
food
choices
and
understanding
what
it
looks
like
to
eat
healthy
and
be
physically
active.”
By
providing
evidence-based
information
and
personalized
support,
EFNEP
continues
to
empower
families
to
make
healthier
decisions
and
improve
their
quality
of
life.
A
program
built
on
evidence
and
research
EFNEP
is
a
federally
funded
land-grant
program
managed
by
the
National
Institute
of
Food
and
Agriculture
(NIFA)
within
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(USDA),
began
in
1969.
With
the
overarching
goal
to
use
evidence-based
techniques
to
influence
nutrition
and
physical
behaviors
of
low-income
and
disadvantaged
families.
EFNEP
is
supported
by
the
Smith-Lever
Act,
which
focuses
on
several
topics
related
to
food
research:
develop
practical
applications
of
research
knowledge;
instructions
and
practical
demonstrations
of
existing
or
improved
practices
or
technologies
in
agriculture;
uses
of
solar
with
respect
to
agriculture,
home
economics,
and
rural
energy;
subjects
relating
to
persons
not
attending
or
resident
in
1862
Land-grant
Institutions;
imparting
information
on
those
subjects
through
demonstrations,
publications,
and
otherwise,
and
for
the
necessary
printing
and
distribution
of
information
in
connection
with
the
subjects,
according
to
NIFA.
Smith-Lever
Capacity
Grant
funding
from
NIFA,
requires
that
organizations
report
data
for
continued
research
and
program
improvement.
EFNEP
has
proven
to
create
positive
changes
nationwide
based
on
pre-
and
post-
course
surveys
administered
by
the
extension
offices
delivering
it,
and
that
is
no
different
in
Chenango
County.
“All
of
our
curriculum
that
we
have,
currently
that
we’re
using
in
Chenango
County
have
been
tested
for
decades,”
said
Close,
“Various
extension
services
throughout
the
United
States
have
piloted,
tested,
incorporated.
We
gather
pre-
and
post-surveys
to
not
only
see
how
our
participants
are
improving,
but
we
also
to
send
in
that
information.”
The
surveys
ask
questions
about
diet
quality,
physical
activity,
and
food
resource
management.
According
to
Close,
last
year
Chenango
County
saw
improvements
ranging
from
70
to
98
percent
among
its
participants.
Programs
like
EFNEP
play
an
important
role
in
addressing
public
health
challenges,
including
obesity,
chronic
disease,
and
limited
access
to
nutrition
education.
“Everything
done
is
scientific,
we
know
it
works,”
said
Close.
Comments
Please, login to comment.
Norwich residents launch firework revolution in true American 250th spirit
Following a weekend of controversy due to lack of celebration in Norwich marking America’s 250th Independence Day, proud and daring ..
July 6th
Norwich neighborhoods launch firework revolution in true American 250th spirit
(EDITORIAL: The following reflects the opinion of the author.)
Following a weekend of controversy due to lack of celebration in Norwich ..
July 6th
The 2026 Norwich Gus Macker tournament kicks off this weekend
Putting Chenango on the map: Commerce Chenango unveils fresh rebrand to boost tourism
Byrne Brothers to play free concert in Oxford parkResidents should attend county meeting and open house on Monday and Tuesday
The 29th annual Norwich Gus Macker tournament is underway this weekend
Oxford PONY hosts Delhi, splits doubleheaderUV PONY sweeps doubleheader vs NorwichBainbridge Bolts fall to Unatego 16-6
Tilting at Windmills: Sweet Dreams
