Edible ABC's

Edible ABC's is a preschool-aged curriculum that explores healthy foods and physical activities while learning the letters of the alphabet. 

SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator, Amanda Hawkins, delivers training to all Head Start Edible ABC's classroom teachers, who conduct these lessons throughout the school year. 

To view the Edible ABC's curriculum, visit the link below.

               Edible ABC's              

Read for Health

Read for Health is a language arts-based nutrition and physical activity education curriculum that pairs books about healthy lifestyles with tastings and activities that encourage children to eat smart and be fit. 

SNAP-Ed Project Leader Amanda Hawkins, delivers Read for Health curriculum lessons to all participating Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade classrooms, in ten qualifying schools within Allegany County from October through May.

To view the Read for Health curriculum, visit the link below.

             Read for Health            

Growing Healthy Habits

University of Maryland Extension's Growing Healthy Habits is a gardening and nutrition education curriculum that encourages children to eat more fruits and vegetables through new tasting experiences and harvesting and preparing foods that they have grown.

SNAP-Ed Project Leader Amanda Hawkins, delivers Growing Healthy Habits curriculum lessons to all participating 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms in ten qualifying schools within Allegany County.

To view the Growing Healthy Habits curriculum, visit the link below.

      Growing Healthy Habits       

ReFresh

Rather than presenting nutrition as a stand-alone topic, ReFresh teaches 4th and 5th grade students to explore nutrition and healthy living topics within the math, language arts, social studies, art, and science, technology, engineering and math curricula.  ReFresh focuses on increasing exposure to fruits, vegetables and whole grains through fun and engaging hands-on activities, food demonstrations and tastings.

SNAP-Ed Project Leader Amanda Hawkins, delivers ReFresh curriculum lessons to all participating 4th and 5th grade classrooms in ten qualifying schools within Allegany County.

For more information, contact Amanda Hawkins at 301-724-3320 or ahawkin7@umd.edu

To view the ReFresh curriculum, visit the link below.

                    ReFresh                  

Farm to School 

Farm to School programs aim to bring fresh, locally grown food into school cafeterias making Farm to School meaningful to students, and using local foods to encourage healthy eating and to build school and community awareness of local food production.

For more information, contact Amanda Hawkins at 301-724-3320 or ahawkin7@umd.edu

             Farm to School             

Cafeteria Connections

Cafeteria Connections is an evidence-based approach to encouraging selection of healthy foods in the school cafeteria. Cafeteria Connections is a collaboration between the cafeteria staff, teachers, and SNAP-Ed nutrition educators.  Each training emphasizes promotion of school meals, and “nudging” students toward selecting the fruits and vegetables offered at mealtime. By making simple, low- to no-cost changes in how food is arranged, displayed, and marketed on the service line, students are 'nudged' toward healthy choices.

Our Cafeteria Connections interventions also serve to educate our school community with cafeteria staff training, line enhancements, student engagement events, and cafeteria tastings. 

For more information, contact Amanda Hawkins at 301-724-3320 or ahawkin7@umd.edu

To view the Cafeteria Connections materials, visit the link below.

    Cafeteria Connections     

Community Collaborations

Snap Ed Educator Shirley Guinn, acts as a nutrition and healthy living liaison and trainer in a number of different important venues in the community.

  • LOCAL AGENCIES: SNAP-Ed provides train-the-trainer education in local agencies including HRDC, Hope Station, Maryland Food Bank and others; encouraging staff and customers to make healthy food choices, develop food preparation skills, handle food safely, improve shopping skills, and increase physical activity.

  • FOOD PANTRIES: Collaboration with SNAP-Ed supports the distribution of fresh produce and pantry staples delivered to mobile food drops in several locations. Host agencies include Hope Station, St John’s/Arch St, Mt Savage Fire Hall, Bruce Outreach Center, Flintstone UMC, First Wesleyan/Cresaptown.

  • FARMERS’ MARKETS: SNAP-Ed actively supports the work of the Allegany County Farmers’ Market Association and provides nutritional education, recipes and resources at local Farmers’ Markets. Summer programming for children is provided in downtown Cumberland and City Place, Frostburg locations.

For more information, contact Shirley Guinn at 301-724-3320 or sguinn1@umd.edu

Community Collaborations