The District 7 Area Agent for Nutrition Education Programs (NEP) visited 30 DCBS offices in Districts 6 and 7 between July and November 2017. The purpose of the visits was to share information regarding the NEP Healthy Choice program taught by SNAP-Ed and EFNEP program assistants in those counties. Accompanying the Area Agent were the NEP program assistants, and in some cases, the county Family and Consumer Science agent. The visits consisted of an introduction to UK Cooperative Extension, the NEP program, Healthy Choices curriculum, and local Extension programming. At each visit, DCBS staff members received a packet of information including the most recent SNAP-Ed or EFNEP county or state report, a Chop Chop magazine for youth, the 2017 NEP calendar, along with a sample of the summer promotional fruit salad recipe. In addition to visiting each county DCBS office, the Area Agent was also a guest speaker at a regional DCBS managers’ meeting for western Kentucky counties. Approximately 70 managers were in attendance.

The goal of the visits was to educate DCBS staff members on the availability and benefits of the NEP program to the SNAP recipients they serve. In most counties the staff members were not aware of the Nutrition Education Program. NEP program assistants now have a stronger relationship with their local DCBS office and are able to post upcoming program flyers, provide literature in the waiting areas such as Chop Chop magazines, and recruit clients or hold PR events in the lobby.

NEP program assistants have been encouraged to follow-up to continue and reinforce the relationships made with these visits, so they may better serve the SNAP benefit recipients in their community.