SNAP-Ed Works 2022

Montana State University Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education

The Challenge

  • 75% of Montana youth do not participate in enough aerobic activity to meet guidelines
  • 92% of Montana adults do not meet the vegetable intake recommendations
  • 67% of Montana adults are overweight or obese
  • 72% of American Indian adults are overweight or obese
  • 25% of Montana children in grades 9-12 are overweight or obese
  • 1 in 10 Montanans face hunger/food insecurity

The SNAP-Ed Solution

  • Teach
    • low-income youth and adults in the locations, online or in-person, that they eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop
  • Collaborate
    • with community and statewide partners to leverage resources and increase program reach to eligible audiences.
  • Empower
    • organizations and individuals to create changes in policies, systems, and environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice

The Results

Graduates from nutrition classes improved their healthy habits.

  • Adults
    • 49% ate fruit more often
    • 45% ate veggies more often
    • 63% were more physically active
    • 74% improved food safety practices
    • 78% improved food management practices
  • Youth
    • 50% improved physical activity behaviors
    • 56% improved food safety practices
    • 87% made healthier food choices

"An elderly woman who attended multiple SNAP-Ed nutrition classes was overjoyed with the Double SNAP dollar coupons she received for attending. She stated that her intake of fruits and vegetables had greatly risen since she started using the coupons at the Farmers Market and she felt that her energy level had increased dramatically from doing so. "           - Nutrition Educator

SNAP-Ed By The Numbers

  • 5,775 visits to buyeatlivebetter website in 2022
  • 34,185 Pinterest post views
  • 4,578 Facebook post views
  • 2,600 Montanans reached with online & in-person nutrition & physical activity classes
    • 119 adults and 2,855 youth graduated from SNAP-Ed programs
  • 26,600 policy, system, environment, or promotional changes to support health
  • 18,799 Montanans reached by policy, system, environment or promotional changes
  • 217 partnerships with organizations where Montanans eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop

Program Impacts

Youth and adult education continued to be offered online and in-person. SNAP-Ed's work also supported:

    • 12 food bank and garden projects that increased capacity for Montanans to make healthy food choices.
    • 19 farmers' markets partnerships that increased access to and promotion of fruits and vegetables
  • In Northwest Montana SNAP-Ed partnered with a small, rural food pantry to create change. SNAP-Ed completed an assessment and an action plan. Changes are partially made and partially in progress. Completed work this year includes offering whole grain flour along with yeast packets for clients to make their own bread. The food pantry also applied to participate in TEFAP and began to distribute the food at the end of FFY22. The pantry saw a 60% increase in clients during September 2022 when compared to September 2021.
  • In Southeast Montana, SNAP-Ed partnered with farmers' markets to build capacity in the local food system. SNAP-Ed helped to lay the groundwork for
    cooperation between farmers markets on and near a Reservation. Both markets worked together to increase the reach for vendors and access for individuals with low income . Additional vendors are being recruited in order to be able to offer Double SNAP Dollars.This past summer, SNAP-Ed partnered with several community organizations to promote healthy eating and physical activity at a local farmers' market. A station was set up that encouraged families with young children to engage in games, local food tastings, and hands-on learning. This initiative increased families' access to healthy food choices and participation at the farmers' market.
  • In Central Montana, SNAP-Ed helped families with young children and low income access locally grown food. SNAP-Ed collaborated with a local organization to implement a project to promote a rainbow of colors of produce in all of the areas elementary schools' cafeterias. Nutrition education efforts were layered with a environmental approach to offer the produce option first in the lunch line within the lunchrooms across the school district. The strategy is to nudge the healthy choice as the first option, with the intent that the produce item would be selected and consumed more often among the students.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact the Montana Public Assistance Helpline at 1-888-706-1535 or https://www.apply.mt.gov. Montana State University Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/Veteran's Preference Employer and Provider of Educational Outreach.