SNAP-Ed Works 2024

Montana State University Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education

The Challenge

  • 65% of Montana youth do not participate in enough aerobic activity to meet guidelines
  • 68% of Montana adults do not meet the vegetable intake recommendations
  • 66% of Montana adults are overweight or obese
  • 74% of American Indian adults are overweight or obese
  • 14% of Montana children in grades 9-12 are overweight or obese
  • 1 in 9 Montanans face hunger/food insecurity

The SNAP-Ed Solution

  • Teach
    • low-income youth and adults in the locations, online or in-person, that they eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop.
  • Collaborate
    • with community and statewide partners to leverage resources and increase program reach to eligible audiences.
  • Empower
    • organizations and individuals to create changes in policies, systems, and environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice

The Results

Graduates from nutrition classes improved their healthy habits.

  • Adults
    • 36% ate fruit more often
    • 44% ate veggies more often
    • 70% were more physically active
    • 72% improved food safety practices
    • 67% improved food management practices
  • Youth
    • 43% improved physical activity behaviors
    • 52% improved food safety practices
    • 82% made healthier food choices

"On a reservation in western Montana, a father of two attended a six-week SNAP-Ed nutrition education class series, seeking solutions to his ongoing struggle to stay within his grocery budget. During the course, he learned practical strategies for meal planning.Inspired by the knowledge he gained, he began meal planning once a week. After just one month, he successfully stayed within his original grocery budget, saved $43, and prepared nutritious meals his family loved. Reflecting on his experience, he shared, "You are never too old to learn something new.” - Nutrition Educator

SNAP-Ed By The Numbers

  • 8.8k visits to buyeatlivebetter website in 2022
  • 37.3k Pinterest post views
  • 3,063 Facebook post views
  • 4,690 Montanans reached with online & in-person nutrition & physical activity classes
    • 119 adults and 2,554 youth graduated from SNAP-Ed programs
  • 42 policy, system, environment, or promotional changes to support health
  • 18,519 Montanans reached by policy, system, environment or promotional changes
  • 177 partnerships with organizations where Montanans eat, live, learn, work, play, and shop

Program Impacts

Youth and adult education continued to be offered online and in-person. SNAP-Ed's work also supported:

    • 10 food bank and garden projects that increased capacity for Montanans to make healthy food choices.
    • 11 farm to school and farmers' markets partnerships that increased access to and promotion of fruits and vegetables
  • Transforming Health Through Produce Prescriptions. In partnership with a rural health center, a SNAP Nutrition Educator helped establish a Produce Prescription program, combining bi-monthly CSA shares with a six-week nutrition education series. By the second lesson, participants were already seeing the benefits. One attendee exclaimed, “I can’t believe I’ve been living this long and am just now learning this!” This new knowledge sparked immediate changes, improving not only her own diet but her entire household’s. Programs like this empower families to make healthier choices, demonstrating how access to fresh produce and practical nutrition education can lead to lasting improvements in diet, health, and overall well-being.
  • Cultivating Community Health Through Collaboration. At a public library on a reservation in northcentral Montana, a SNAP-Ed instructor partnered with the local food sovereignty coalition and the Master Gardener program to host a transformative seed-saving demonstration. The event brought together community members and partners from both on and off the reservation to learn how to save seeds from their harvests
    —an essential skill for fostering self-reliance and food security. One participant shared, "This is great knowledge for me to have, for myself and for my neighbors." Alongside the hands-on learning, nutrition fact sheets and other educational resources were made available, inspiring attendees to explore additional ways to support healthy eating. The excitement surrounding this initiative continues to grow as the seed library expands, empowering the community to preserve their agricultural heritage while promoting access to nutritious, locally sourced foods.
  • Empowering Health Through Community
    Markets. A partnership between SNAP-Ed and an apartment complex for low-income seniors and people with disabilities led to an instructor guiding residents on a personalized market tour, demonstrating how to use Double SNAP Dollar (DSD) coupons to purchase fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. This was particularly valuable in a community with limited and costly grocery store options. At the market, residents not only stretched their food dollars but also formed connections with local farmers and vendors, fostering a sense of community and support. The results were transformative: residents returned to the market weekly using their DSD coupons and continued to make healthier food choices. This initiative not only improved access to nutritious foods but also strengthened community ties, empowering residents with resources and connections for long-term health.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact the Montana Public Assistance Helpline at 1-888-706-1535 or https://www.apply.mt.gov. Montana State University Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/Veteran's Preference Employer and Provider of Educational Outreach.