Barnstable Office

Programs

The UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program (NEP) is part of the Department of Nutrition within the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. NEP extends university research and teaching to Massachusetts’ communities. Across the Commonwealth, NEP offices serve as focal points for the design, delivery and evaluation of nutrition and food safety education programs with special emphasis on low-income families and youth through the Family Nutrition Program.

Barnstable County Extension NEP offers adult and youth programs in nutrition and food safety education. Nutrition education is provided through:

Family Nutrition Program (FNP)
The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) is part of a national nutrition education effort funded through the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program. FNP provides nutrition education programs and activities that help adults and youth eligible for SNAP to establish healthy eating habits and physically active lifestyles.

All FNP projects are jointly planned and implemented with community partners who devote significant time and resources and are highly invested in the program. University faculty and staff work closely with community agencies, school systems and other collaborators in developing an array of educational workshops, events and materials that are informative and engaging. The resulting statewide program has been consistently successful promoting healthy lifestyle choices with regard to food and physical activity.