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Family and Community Health Sciences

Serving Adults
-With educational programs
-By answering consumer inquires
-Through agency cooperation

The members of the Department of Family & Community Health Sciences (FCHS) provide residents with research-based education on foods and nutrition, human development and family relations, and financial resource management. FCHS helps people identify needs, make decisions, and use available resources to improve their lives. The Department of Family & Community Sciences can be visited at http://www.RCRE.rutgers.edu/money/default.asp

For more information please contact:
Daryl Minch
CEDH, Family & Consumer Sciences Educator, Somerset County
908-526-6295
Or
Karen Ensle
Family and Consumer Sciences, Union County
Phone: 908-654-9854

EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM
E.F.N.E.P


Any Questions relating to Middlesex County's EFNEP or FSNEP programs should be directed to:

Debbie Hemmann
Middlesex EFNEP/FSNE Program Associate
(732) 398-5271

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in Middlesex County is part of the State and National effort to educate low-income families who have children. Our hands-on nutritional learning classes demonstrate better skills and habits and encourage participants to select and obtain foods that satisfy their family's nutritional needs. The program helps participants to save money by teaching them how to manage their food dollars and, use their food stamps, vouchers and food commodities more efficiently. Our clients are taught about food preparation, proper storage of foods, food safety and sanitation to prevent food poisoning.

We are presently teaching at:

  • Middlesex Community College, Perth Amboy/New Brunswick /All semesters
  • Woodbridge Vo-Tech, Woodbridge
  • Piscataway Vo-Tech, Piscataway
  • East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick
  • Puerto Rican Association, Perth Amboy
  • Amanda Crossing Housing Programs
  • P.A.R.T.S Program, Perth Amboy
  • Woodbridge Housing Authority, Woodbridge
  • Adult Learning Center, New Brunswick
    Work Study, GED Programs, Career Development, Alternative School Program
  • Edison Job Corps Center, Edison
  • Puerto Rican Action Board, New Brunswick
  • New Brunswick Public Schools
  • Open Door, New Brunswick
  • Elijah's Promise, New Brunswick


Learning is interactive with lots of practical activities, food demonstrations, discussion and participation. Our bilingual nutrition educators link what participants are interested in learning with what they already know and teach concepts of nutrition education through group activities. Continuous evaluation of the teaching/learning process leads to more directed teaching and aids in meeting the needs of the participants. Programs are evaluated through discussion, collection of diet recall information and the use of behavior checklists.

Community agencies, schools and county municipal sites are encouraged to call and start nutrition education groups for limited resource families in Middlesex County.

For more Information call (732) 398-5269.

To download the EFNEP brochure and learn more specific information about this program click here.

 

FOOD STAMP NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM
F.S.N.E.P

The Middlesex County Food Stamp Education program has been in existence since 2003. Funded by the USDA, this program delivers behaviorally focused, research-based, nutritional lessons to pre-schoolers, youth and adults.

Our curriculum, has promotes awareness on nutrition with preschoolers through 12th grade students. In 2006, the total number of youth participants reached was 1,693. The Youth component is presently serving all of the Abbott preschools in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy. Nutrition education is also provided at all the Elementary schools in New Brunswick. FSNEP youth programs are also conducted at various community centers in after-school and summer enrichment programs and camps. All youth groups meet for a minimum of 6 weeks. Research based, behaviorally focused and culturally appropriate hands-on curriculum was used in classroom settings.

The adult component is offering Nutrition lessons at Work-First sites in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy. The lessons are based on the needs of the participants and teach them how to follow the Dietary Guidelines and the new My Pyramid released by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2006. Additionally, the Middlesex FSNEP was also awarded a $25,000 grant by New Brunswick Tomorrow. a non-profit organization, for educating the parents of preschoolers in New Brunswick.

Middlesex FSNEP also collaborates with the Health Scholars Program funded by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. This program trains students from the Health Science and Technology High School to teach nutrition lessons to students at Roosevelt Elementary School in New Brunswick. It also collaborates with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey by providing training to third year medical students who will teach at Headstart locations in New Brunswick.

To learn more about FSNEP online click here.

To download the FSNEP brochure and learn more specific information about this program click here.

Mathur, Shailja
Senior Program Coordinator for State Network
and Middlesex County FSNEP
Mathur@aesop.rutgers.edu