The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is the nation’s first nutrition education program for low-income populations and remains at the forefront of nutrition education efforts to reduce nutrition insecurity of low-income families and youth today.
EFNEP is a federal Extension (community outreach) program that currently operates through the 1862 and 1890 Land-Grant Universities (LGUs) in every state, the District of Columbia, and the six U.S. territories – American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA), EFNEP uses education to support participants’ efforts toward self-sufficiency, nutritional health, and well-being. EFNEP combines hands-on learning, applied science, and program data to ensure program effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability.
In Missouri, both the University of Missouri (MU) and Lincoln University provide educational programming via the EFNEP to all 114 counties and the City of St. Louis.
The goal of MU EFNEP is to assist Missourians with limited resources in achieving lifelong health and fitness. Our primary target audience is women or the primary food preparer in homes with children. In addition, we work with Missouri’s 4-H Youth Development Programs to offer nutrition education to groups of youth across the state of Missouri. All participants receive a minimum of six lessons. MU EFNEP provides education to adults in urban and metropolitan communities, in ten counties and the City of St. Louis, so we can offer education in more centralized sites and reach new adult audiences each year.
Youth receive nutrition education programs that includes a health advocacy component throughout the state. This enables us to develop youth as health advocates who can also educate adults in their communities.