Muskegon County Board of Commissioners

7
“I feel that having
the support from
Jan [BFI Peer
Counselor] really
played a role in my
success with breast
feeding my first
son. Because I
have her support
and guidance I
know I'll be
successful
breastfeeding my
second son who is
due in a few
months!”
~BFI participant
“ I still learned things
about MyPlate,
hidden fats in
restaurants and new
recipes.”
~63-year old
participant
Health & Nutrition Institute
With the restructuring of MSU Extension, a new educator was moved to Muskegon
to take over the supervision of staff in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education
Program (EFNEP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and
the Breast-Feeding Initiative (BFI).
A new focus on educating client’s in groups, rather than one-on-one lessons in a
client’s home was begun. We are now partnering with new agencies including Head
Start, Christian Manor, Unified health Partners, Mission for Area People, Love INC.
and the Salvation Army to reach our target audience.
Muskegon residents, as a whole, rank below national levels for good health. High
levels of obesity, especially in children; chronic diseases like diabetes, heart
disease, and cancer; and low levels of physical activity – all contribute to an
unhealthy population, which means higher care costs and loss of productivity.
MSU Extension is working to empower youth and adults to be accountable for their
own health. By teaching people how to eat healthier, how to stretch their food
budgets to include healthy choices and how to safely store and prepare their food
to decrease foodborne illnesses, our goal is to get Muskegon County residents
healthier.
EFNEP (Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program) - 234 individuals
completed a series of lessons on eating healthier and stretching their food budgets.
These were done primarily on a one-on-one basis in the clients’ homes over a
period of weeks. Agencies referring clients to the program included: WIC, Family
Promise, Mission for Area People, and the Health Department.
Cooking for Crowds — Linda Huyck, extension educator in Montcalm County
offered two “Cooking for Crowds” workshop for 60 Muskegon County residents.
This program addresses the food safety and food handling practices of volunteers
who occasionally cook for the public as part of their organization’s food
fundraisers.
Breastfeeding Initiative – Janet Thom,
Breastfeeding Peer Counselor provided 156
pregnant and breastfeeding women with
factual information and assistance, making
over 564 contacts with them in 2011.
Breastfeeding Flash Mob
participants at Northside Spectular.
During World Breastfeeding Month, she helped
bring the benefits of breastfeeding to the
public’s attention with a flash mob organized
through the Muskegon County Breastfeeding
Coalition.
*A series covers MyPlate and MyPyramid - what a body needs to eat in order to
have good nutrition. Portion sizes, the importance of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and
low-fat dairy are stressed. Shopping on a budget - using menu planning and grocery lists - and
checking food labels for better choices are taught. We complete two 24-hour recalls with
clients in which the foods they eat in one day are analyzed for nutrients, calories and fats....
once at the beginning of the program and once at the end. Pre- and post- tests are also
given and put into a computer system to show change.