Family Nutrition Program

FNP Impacts

In FY 2008, the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) in Massachusetts reached 52,268 adults and youth through direct education methods and 134,492 through indirect education methods.

Reaching Those in Need

• FNP is delivered in the lowest income communities in Massachusetts.
• Adult participants were reached at food pantries, food distribution sites, pregnant and parenting teen programs, job training programs, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, recovery programs, WIC program sites, community health centers, day reporting corrections programs, and farmers markets located in low income areas.
• Preschool and youth participants were reached at Head Start Programs, schools in low income areas, summer recreation programs, parks, summer feeding sites, after school programs, and Boys & Girls Club sites.

Using Effective Methods

• FNP staff and educators work with local collaborators to design programs and select nutrition education materials that will meet local needs (including workshop series, single session workshops, displays, posters, newsletters, and follow up enrichment materials).
• FNP provides newsletters and follow-up nutrition education materials to parents of participating youth to reinforce what their children have learned.
• FNP provides follow-up lessons and materials for teachers in classrooms where FNP educators have conducted a series of lessons.
• Adults participating in a workshop series attended an average of 5 classes; preschool and youth participants attended an average of 4.6 classes.

Changing Adult Behaviors

• Adults attending a workshop series showed a significant increase in the number of days per week where they:
• Ate 2 or more cups of fruit.
• Ate 3 or more cups of vegetables.
• Consumed 2 or more cups of milk or yogurt.

These same participants also showed a significant increase in the frequency of the following behaviors:

• Shop with a grocery list.
• Compare prices when buying food.
• Read the nutrition facts or ingredients label when making food choices.
• Choose low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt.
• Choose liquid oils instead of solid fats.
• Choose whole-grain foods when eating grains.
• Refrigerate or freeze meat and dairy foods within 2 hours.

Influencing Youth

• Youth participating in a workshop series showed significant increases on pre-post assessments in the following behaviors:
• Drink 100% fruit juice.
• Wash hands before eating.
• Watch less TV.

Over 90% of teachers in classrooms where lesson series were taught reported that:

• The students were very or somewhat engaged in the lessons.
• They had reinforced the nutrition information that had been taught.
• The nutrition information taught was useful.
• The materials were easy to use.
• The lessons were appropriate for the children’s ages and grades.

87% of teachers using leave-behind enrichment materials said that the students were more interested in foods, nutrition and healthy eating (with the remainder being not sure) after the program.

Involving the Community

Staff in 8 FNP sites work with 74 collaborating schools, agencies, local government, and UMass to develop and implement FNP.

Program activities were delivered at:

• 215 public schools.
• 26 Head Start program sites.
• 26 youth education/recreation sites.
• 7 farmers markets.
• 6 pregnant and parenting teen programs.
• 5 grocery stores.
• 3 WIC programs.
• 3 emergency food assistance sites.
• 3 recovery programs.
• 2 shelters.
• 2 adult education/job training sites.
• 1 day reporting corrections program.
• 1 library.
• 1 community health center.
• 1 mall.