For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bibb County Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) held an appreciation luncheon on Friday, December 2 to thank its partners. 

“While we took this time to thank our amazing collaborators for helping us improve the health of our community, we also wanted to raise awareness of how important healthy eating is to our lives,” said Keishon Thomas, EFNEP Supervisor for the Cooperative Extension. “These partners – and our staff – are doing some amazing work to improve the health and wellbeing of children and families, and they deserve our thanks.” 

About 50 people attended the luncheon to thank partners such as the Macon Housing Authority, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Board of Education, and more. During the luncheon, Paige Tench, a master gardener, was announced as this year’s EFNEP Champion for her huge help with EFNEP this year.

Speakers included Laverne Stubbs from Howard High School, Karol Kelly with the Cooperative Extension, UGA EFNEP State Coordinator Sarah Henes, Keishon Thomas with the Cooperative Extension, and Doris Irvin with the Jones County Senior Center. 

EFENP is a federally funded program that is administered locally through Cooperative Extension to teach families how to eat healthy on a budget. The curriculum is designed for caregivers and parents of young children, as well as pregnant women and teens. Families who are eligible for any type of public assistance are eligible to participate in the program, which consists of eight classes on nutrition, food safety, exercise, and much more. It is free of charge and includes some great giveaways.  

The classes are offered throughout the year, and interested families can get more information by calling the Cooperative Extension at 478-751-6338 or visiting  https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/bibb/family-and-consumer-sciences.html.