The FoodWIse team actively participated in the FoodWIse 2024 Regional Meeting this month. Brown County FoodWIse is part of the Metro Region due to its population. All five FoodWIse staff members participated in this excellent training. The learning objectives of the meeting were to learn how to build relationships with partners and community members, how to practice those skills to take back to our county, and how to request and respond to feedback from partners and FoodWIse participants. The agenda was filled out with great activities that were not only engaging but also extremely meaningful for our program plan. We have a lot to think about, process, and apply in our community. 

Moving forward, we'll use the knowledge gained from this training to form deeper and more meaningful relationships with our community partners at every stage of the process, from first meetings to evaluations and feedback. We also mapped out the complex networks of partnerships that we have within our community, and will use that knowledge to build bridges between ourselves, our partners, and the people we serve.

FoodWIse taught a single lesson at the Farmers Market on Military using the Discover Farmers Market curriculum.  Seven participants from Meadows North were able to participate and learn about using their EBT and Senior Vouchers at the Farmers market.  Meadows North was able to contract transportation for their participants.  They were able to transport seniors with all abilities by contracting services that could transport seniors that needed mobility assistance.  The group met at the agency and discussed how we were going to utilize the Market, then ventured to the Market and met the staff and learned how to use their EBT card, double your bucks and their Senior Vouchers.  We were able to meet and talk to some of the vendors and purchase items with the vouchers.  Participants verbally voiced that they enjoyed the adventure and learning experience and were looking forward to using their fresh produce.

FoodWIse has been working with the emergency food pantry Manna for Life, offering an English class once a month using the Healthy Cents curriculum. The group consists of individuals from different cultural backgrounds and languages (a mixture of English, Spanish, and Ukrainian); everyone feels comfortable sharing their knowledge/experience about nutrition and how to save money at the store or use pantry items.
They took the knowledge they had obtained and applied it in a grocery store tour.  It was great to be able to apply the unit pricing information at the store and work on how we could use it in calculating costs.  Another way program participants applied the lessons learned at the pantry was by looking at the nutrition labels and serving sizes.  In the end, they were excited to tell each other what they had purchased and what their plans/thoughts were behind each item. The grocery store tour was a great way to apply their knowledge to a real-life experience. 

                                 September is National Fruits & Veggies Month

September is National Fruits & Veggies Month (NFVM), a time to rally around the “OG Plants” to boost appeal and drive demand for fruits and vegetables.

The 2024 theme, Every Time You Eat, Have A Plant® highlights hacks, flavor and fun! We all need to be eating plants at every turn throughout our food journeys, so we’re highlighting ways to make it easy to Have A Plant® while shopping, dining out, enjoying a meal with family, at school or on-the-go for better health and happiness. #NFVM2024 #haveaplant

                               September is National Food Safety Education Month

A great time to refocus on preventing foodborne illness, explore new food safety resources, and improve food safety knowledge. The FNS Food Safety Team is continuing its commitment to champion safe school meals and support those who prepare and serve them every day through new in-person and virtual training programs, continuing education webinars, and new food safety resources for child nutrition programs.

                            SNAP-Ed Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month!

Each year from September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, an annual observance highlighting the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans. Celebrate with cooking healthy Latin American/Hispanic recipes.

               Check the September Food Pantry handout

FoodWIse education is funded by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program– SNAP and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program - EFNEP.

An EEO/AA employer, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements

Extension Brown County
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Green Bay, WI 54311
920-391-4610

extension@browncountywi.gov