About the UC CalFresh NEP

The University of California CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (UC CalFresh NEP, or just UC CalFresh) operates through a joint agreement among the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Service (USDA/FNS), the California Department of Social Services, CalFresh and Nutrition Branch, and the University of California Cooperative Extension. UC CalFresh consists of Adult, Family-Centered and Youth program components, and operates throughout various California counties.

The Adult and Family-Centered nutrition education programs enroll CalFresh recipients, applicants, and eligibles on a voluntary basis at the local county welfare department and other sites. Nutrition education lessons focus on the following topics:

• Self-sufficiency
• Food budgeting
• Managing resources
• Food preparation skills
• Food safety and sanitation
• Feeding infants and children
• Physical activity

The Youth nutrition education program targets schools and community programs with large numbers of children from CalFresh households. Teachers, youth program leaders, and other extenders at the sites are trained to deliver a nutrition education program targeted to youth audiences on the following topics:

• Healthy lifestyle
• Fruit and vegetable consumption
• Food safety
• Physical activity

Objectives of UC CalFresh

The general goal of UC CalFresh is to improve the diet and nutrition-related skills of CalFresh recipients and their families. UC CalFresh also has the following specific objectives:

• Improved self-sufficiency of CalFresh recipients
• Decreased reliance on emergency food resources
• Increased skills in food budgeting and meal planning
• Improved diet for the entire family
• Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Increased variety in food choices
• Improved food preparation skills
• Improved knowledge of safe food practices
• Increased physical activity
• Promoting a healthy lifestyle for youth as outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans