Pandemic Response: LSU AgCenter takes virtual nutrition education to limited resource audiences

ABSTRACT

LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences nutrition agents across Louisiana taught nutrition education classes to adults and children face-to-face in their communities and in schools. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes were halted in March 2020. To continue their outreach, the agents from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Flavors of Health program worked together to develop a virtual nutrition education program. To reach the specific audiences, the LSU AgCenter agents collaborated with community partners, such as local libraries, Head Start, WIC clinics and schools, to enroll participants for classes. Promotional videos featuring SNAP-Ed and EFNEP nutrition agents were produced to explain the benefits of attending the classes and how to register. Over time, EFNEP and SNAP-Ed nutrition agents and educators embraced virtual programming and were able to recruit and deliver nutrition education programs from their homes or offices. The benefit to offering virtual nutrition education classes was that AgCenter agents could remain visible in their community and still connect with their audiences while remaining safe during the pandemic.