Nutrition, Family & Consumer Sciences

The Family Nutrition Program ... strives to improve the nutritional status of families across the county.

• The U of I Extension Family Nutrition Program pro-motes safe and healthy eating by providing nutrition education and materials to food stamp eligible residents.

• Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program is funded with Food Stamp Administrative Funds by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• FNP reaches an average of 700 youth per month at county schools and daycare facilities. Adults are reached each month at local food pantries, Dept. of Human Services, Spoon River College Even Start and GED programs, C.I.E.D.C. Senior Nutrition Sites, and local community clubs with face-to-face programs.

• Diabetes Lifelines Newsletter is now mailed to over 130 county residents.

• FNP Collaborative Efforts have supported ...

• Mason County Coordinating Council by contributing a display at Health Fairs in all county middle schools, reaching 800 youth.
• Mason District Hospital by providing a display at the annual Family Community Health Fair, where 350 people attended.
• Mason County Prevention Team by providing a display at the annual Super Saturday event, where approximately 200 youth and adults attended.
• Mason County Soil and Water Conservation District by co-sponsoring Mason County Discovery Day. The annual event provides conservation information, healthy snacks, and encourages physical activity to 275 Mason County third grade students.
• Havana Early Childhood Council by providing the first annual Family Walk Day where 20 families participated in walking and physical activities.
• Havana Jr. High School by providing the annual Safe Trick-or-Treat Night to as many as 400 youth and their families

• Child care providers (328) have earned continuing education credit over the last eight years, as well as receiving regular monthly newsletters.
• Approximately 35 Mason County Deparement of Human Services clients receive monthly instruction on a pertinent family life issue.
• Some 65 private Grandparents Raising Grandchildren receive a monthly newsletter and access the loan library. All Mason County school counselors, Mason District Hospital (MDH), Mason County Health Department and DHS distribute monthly (GRG) newsletters.
• The annual Babysitting Clinic reaches 25 youth age (10-14 years) yearly. This is the tenth year for this popular clinic co-sponsored with MDH.
• The Mason County Diabetes Support Group (136) formed six years ago receives a bi-monthly newsletter.