Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMP) Nutrition Initiatives

Photo of a kid and two adults cooking




Project Description

The HMP Nutrition Initiatives project was started in Fiscal Year 2006 to establish broad scale and sustainable community nutrition education initiatives targeted at educating families eligible for or participating in Maine’s Food Supplement Program.  Since FY 2006, HMP have been selected (using FSP participation rates as criteria) to participate in community based nutrition education initiatives targeted at educating families participating in or eligible for Maine’s FSP. The HMP have worked at the county level following a standardized program continuum as follows:

• Year One—Target audience needs assessment and program planning
• Year Two—Pilot testing of needs assessment based programming
• Year Three—Full scale implementation of programming based on pilot test findings
• Year Four—Continued implementation with sustainability and dissemination focus
• Year Five—Continued implementation with evaluation of sustainability efforts




In FY 2010, five county HMP projects will take place with Somerset and Washington County HMP in Year Five, Hancock County in Year Four, Oxford County in Year Two and Piscataquis County will begin Year One programming.  


Methods:

MNN works with HMP to design and implement nutrition education program proposals based on promising practices and past experience. HMP work with a variety of local partners to deliver nutrition education programming using a variety of educational materials and methods. Most projects include some discussion about nutrition and a cooking demonstration or class. Some examples of places where nutrition education sessions are held include Head Start, food pantries and community centers.


MNN staff:

Katie Giles, Lori Kaley, Matt L’Italien


Staff contact:


Matt L’Italien
45 Commerce Drive, Suite 11, Augusta, ME 04330
P: 207/626-5219
F: 207/626-5210
mlitalien@usm.maine.edu

 

Program Resources:

 

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