Family Nutrition Program

FNP Impacts

In FY 2010, the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) in Massachusetts reached 57,737 adults and youth through direct education methods and 185,993 through indirect education methods.

Reaching Those in Need

• FNP is delivered in the lowest income communities in Massachusetts.
• Adult participants were reached at food pantries, food distribution sites, pregnant and parenting teen programs, job training programs, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, recovery programs, WIC program sites, community health centers, day reporting corrections programs, and farmers markets located in low income areas.
• Preschool and youth participants were reached at Head Start Programs, schools in low income areas, summer recreation programs, parks, summer feeding sites, after school programs, and Boys & Girls Club sites.

Using Effective Methods

• FNP staff and educators work with local collaborators to design programs and select nutrition education materials that will meet local needs (including workshop series, single session workshops, displays, posters, newsletters, and follow-up enrichment materials).
• FNP provides newsletters and follow-up nutrition education materials to parents of participating youth to reinforce what their children have learned.
• FNP provides follow-up lessons and materials for teachers and nurses in schools where FNP educators conduct a series of lessons.
• Adults and youth participating in workshop series attended an average of 5 classes.

Changing Adult Behaviors

• Over 78% of adults attending a workshop on feeding toddlers reported that they planned to make changes in the way they feed their child or children.  These changes included:
  • Introducing foods in new ways.
  • Not forcing their child to eat.
  • Serving regular snacks.
  • Paying attention to portion sizes.
  • Exercising more.
  • Serving more healthy foods (including fruits and vegetables.)
• Over 77% of adults attending a workshop on fitness reported that they planned to make changes in the way they take care of themselves through healthy eating and physical activity.  These changes included:
  • Look at calories.
  • Drink less soda.
  • Eat breakfast.
  • Eat less fast food.
  • Watch portion sizes.
  • Eat more vegetables.
• Over 90% of adult Farmers' Market shoppers tasted the food that FNP educators were demonstrating at the Farmers' Market that day, 76% planned to make the demonstrated recipe, and 91% planned to buy the demonstrated vegetable or fruit.

Influencing Youth

• Youth participating in the Strength and Power In Nutrition workshop series for 'tweens' showed significant increases on pre-post assessments for the following:
  • Understanding food labels.
  • Nutrition and physical activity knowledge.
  • Using food labels.
  • Self-efficacy for adopting healthier behaviors.
• 97% of teachers using leave-behind enrichment materials said that the students were more interested in foods, nutrition and healthy eating after the program.
• 72% of school nurses using the series of Food Explorer posters and handouts said that the students learned about fruits and vegetables, healthy eating, nutrition facts, and new foods from the materials.
• 77% of teachers and administrators using the Daily Nutrition Tips calendar said that the students learned more about healthy eating from the materials.  Over 70% of the staff said that they, themselves, were learning about healthy eating, making healthier food choices, or were more physically active as a result of the materials.

Involving the Community

• Staff in 8 FNP sites worked with 95 collaborating schools, agencies, local government, and UMass to develop and implement FNP.
• Program activities were delivered at:
  • 247 public schools.
  • 35 youth education/recreation sites.
  • 32 farmers markets.
  • 30 Head Start program sites.
  • 9 WIC programs.
  • 7 community health centers.
  • 5 emergency food assistance sites.
  • 4 community centers.
  • 3 churches.
  • 3 day care sites.
  • 2 pregnant and parenting teen programs.
  • 2 summer feeding program sites.
  • 2 libraries.