This legacy page shares our story — the history and impact of the CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California program, nationally referred to as SNAP-Ed.
Coming Soon! An interactive map to journey across California experiencing CalFresh Healthy Living, UC county programming through data and local stories.
FFY 2025 State Office Profile
The CalFresh Healthy Living, UC State Office Profile summarizes FFY 2025 programming across 34 counties, outlining program infrastructure, reach, outcome metrics, and delivery approaches to help Californians achieve better health and nutrition security through evidence-based healthy eating and active living strategies.
FFY 2025 County Profiles
CalFresh Healthy Living, UC County Profiles summarize how CalFresh Healthy Living UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) offices in 34 counties implemented FFY 2025 programming with local partners. This includes program education reach, outcome metrics, delivery, partnerships, and how this serves California Agriculture.
- Alameda
- Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, & Tuolumne
- Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, & Yuba
- Contra Costa
- Fresno & Madera
- Imperial
- Kern
- Los Angeles
- Placer & Nevada
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Mateo
- Shasta, Trinity, & Tehama
- Stanislaus & Merced
- Tulare & Kings
- Ventura
- Yolo
Program Initiative One-Pagers
The Program Initiative One-Pagers highlight key initiatives developed and implemented by CalFresh Healthy Living, UC (CFHL, UC), including Physical Activity, Gardening, School Wellness Policy, Healthy School Food, Youth Engagement, and Community Engagement. Each one-pager provides an overview of the initiative, including its background and evidence base, along with a brief description of how CFHL, UC staff brought these approaches to life in communities across California. These one-pagers offer a snapshot of the approaches, strategies, and work that contributed to CFHL, UC’s impact in advancing health and well-being throughout the state.
- Direct Education
- Gardening
- Physical Activity
- Healthy School Food
- Youth Engagement
- School Wellness Policy
- Community Engagement
For additional information and resources related to the CFHL, UC initiatives, visit the CFHL, UC Initiatives webpage.
Building a Legacy of Health Across California: UC Davis Stewardship of SNAP-Ed
For over 30 years, University of California (UC) Davis stewarded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) grant, known in California as CalFresh Healthy Living. As one of four state implementing agencies, CalFresh Healthy Living, UC programming grew from its initial origins as a U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service pilot with UC Davis to a multilevel, comprehensive public health program serving low resource, SNAP-eligible populations across 34 counties.
The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 aligned nutrition and physical activity with Policy, Systems and Environmental (PSE) initiatives. This engaged the program in developing comprehensive preventive health strategies for schools and communities. To “wrap” a school with these strategies went well beyond direct education:
- Gardens took shape as outdoor classrooms
- Lunchrooms featured local farmer’s produce as taste tests and on school menus using behavioral economics strategies to encourage students to choose and consume healthy options
- Playground stencils and evidence-based physical activity curricula in school, after-school and community programs created opportunities for movement
- School wellness policies were assessed and enhanced
- Community engagement strategies equipped parents, families and community members with skills and resources to build on local strengths and elevate local voice in health and wellness decision making
- Youth engagement inspired students to positively advocate for healthy change in their schools and communities
To ensure local community access to these vital preventative health education curricula, resources, and activities, in the final months of operation, the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC State Office and colleagues at UC Cooperative Extension offices across the state worked side-by-side with long-term partners to build local capacity and establish a public facing website where evidence-based curricula and resources are freely and indefinitely available for educational purposes.
Our lasting mission fuels and sustains us through changing times and passes to our local partners:
To inspire and empower under-served Californians to improve their health by promoting awareness, education, and community change through diverse partnerships, resulting in healthy eating and active living.
In Good Health,
The CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California Team
