The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that one in six Americans get sick from contaminated foods or beverages each year and 3,000 die. The Clay County Cooperative Extension Service Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education assistant for SNAP eligible individuals partnered with the Big Creek Readiness Bus parent group to provide the Healthy Choice program to their senior citizen residents. The Healthy Choices curriculum teaches participants to make healthier food choices to keep their food safe. 

The group of diverse parents made a hundred (100) percent improvement in one or more food safety practices such as, washing hands before preparing food, washing all items and surfaces after cutting raw meat or seafood, not thawing frozen food at room temperature, and using a meat thermometer. One participant stated, “They had never been taught the proper way to use a meat thermometer”.