The COVID-19 pandemic causing a significant increase in demand for emergency food boxes as families continue to experience layoffs and cutbacks in Carlisle County. Carlisle County’s Senior Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Assistant partnered with the Carlisle County Senior Citizens to get nutrition information and healthy recipes into food boxes for families in the community. 

Along with the Family and Consumer Science Agent, the SNAP-Ed Assistant went to the senior citizen center to bag the family’s commodities bi-weekly. Information packets were placed in each bag. Packets contained a county cooperative extension newsletter, Healthy Choices newsletter, SNAP recipes to go along with commodities, food safety, and food storage.   

Information shared, including recipes from our Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum on how to store and prepare the food received, will cut back on waste when items expire from families not knowing how to prepare them. Pairing specific recipes with foods received in food boxes will help recipients prepare healthy, nutritious meals for families. One recipient stated, “I look forward to all the information, especially the recipes, now I know how to prepare the food I receive.” By partnering with the food banks, the SNAP-Ed Assistant reached 95 families throughout Carlisle County. Providing resources to help through these tough times and in the future will leave a lasting impact on our county.