Lawrence Office

Programs

The UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program (NEP) is part of the Department of Nutrition within the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. NEP extends university research and teaching to Massachusetts communities. Across the Commonwealth, NEP offices serve as focal points for the design, delivery and evaluation of nutrition and food safety education programs with special emphasis on low-income families and youth.

Nutrition education is provided through:

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
EFNEP is part of a national effort to improve the nutrition and health of low-income families with young children. Our program hires and trains individuals from target communities as nutrition educators to deliver nutrition education to small groups of families for 2 to 4 months. They teach with a special understanding of the lifestyles, food-ways, and challenges families face and in a language they understand. Educators use a creative, dialogue-based curriculum that engages participants in group discussions, cooking demonstrations, food tasting, music, fun physical activities, and other hands-on learning.

Family Nutrition Program (FNP)
FNP is part of a national nutrition education effort funded through the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called the Food Stamp Program. FNP provides nutrition education programs and activities that help adults and youth eligible for SNAP to establish healthy eating habits and physically active lifestyles.  All FNP projects are planned and implemented together with community partners who devote significant time and resources and are highly invested in the program. NEP faculty and staff work closely with community agencies, school systems and other collaborators in developing an array of nutrition education workshops, events and materials that meet local needs and are informative and engaging.