October 1st marks the beginning of the 2018 fiscal and programming year for FoodWIse. FoodWIse is the UW-Extension Family Living Program’s nutrition education program. Funded by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program helps families on FoodShare make healthier food choices on a limited budget. FoodShare works with community agencies to reach families and individuals of all ages, from young children to senior adults. Education provided is evidence-based, age appropriate and includes topics such as MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, food budgeting, food safety, and poverty/hunger awareness.
Fond du Lac County was one of the first programs in the state of Wisconsin, forming in the 1970s as EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.) The program has had a few name changes over the years, including EFNEP, the Family Nutrition Program, and the Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program. In the latter 1990s, the program was introduced in Green Lake County, joining the Fond du Lac County program. To better align with the organizational and structural changes as a result of UW-Extension’s nEXT Generation process, the program now consists of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties.
The same quality nutrition education will occur in both counties; however, the new geographic alignment brings many great opportunities for the program, including a new staffing unit.
Pictured from left to right: Amanda Miller, FoodWIse Coordinator for Fond du Lac/Sheboygan Counties and Family Living Educator for Fond du Lac County; Pamela Nelson, Nutrition Educator for Fond du Lac County; and Janeth Orozco, Nutrition Educator for Sheboygan County.
Article By: Amanda Miller
