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Mission Statement

To assist low-income youth and families with young children to acquire knowledge,skills,attitudes,and changed behavior necessary to choose nutritionally sound diets and to contribute to their personal development and the improvement of total family diet and nutritional welfare.

Overview

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) of San Diego County provides no-cost nutrition education for both adults and youth.  To best serve the San Diego area, classes are available in both English and Spanish.

EFNEP educators assist individuals in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and behavior change necessary to achieve better nutrition and health for the whole family.  Over the course of the 5- 8 class series, participants are engaged in interactive hands-on lessons that may include cooking demonstrations, meal planning and  reading food labels activities.

EFNEP In Action

EFNEP's own Margarita Schwarz served as Coordinator for the   2010 Binational Health Week kick off event in San Diego. The event was held at the Central Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, drawing more than 500 attendees and over 30 local and state health agencies.  Visitors enjoyed complementary dental, diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings,nutrition information  as well as wonderful entertainment from various dance groups.  Many attendees also participated in professionally led laughter yoga, aerobics, and meditation.

Upon coordinating this hugely successful event, Ms Schwarz said she realized that "you can make positive health  changes in peoples behavior through the arts which brings people together, and helps people learn and connect with each other". Ms Schwarz tries to incorporate art into some of her EFNEP classess to facilitate the learning process.

Binational Health week is one of the largest mobilization efforts of federal and state government agencies, community-based organizations, and volunteers in the Americas to improve the health and well-being of the under served Latino population living in the United States and Canada. It encompasses an annual week long series of health promotion and health education activities that include workshops, insurance referrals, vaccinations and medical screenings.