The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education: Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program (SNAP-Ed)

Lady paying with EBT card

SNAP-Ed is a free nutrition education program serving participants and low-income individuals eligible to receive SNAP benefits or other means-tested Federal assistance programs throughout Ohio. Nationally, SNAP-Ed operates in 50 states, plus 2 territories, and targets individuals (youth and adults), and families. SNAP-Ed is funded by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service and serves in partnership with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Ohio State University Extension. The goal is to improve the likelihood that families and individuals who receive SNAP benefits (SNAP) will make healthy food choices and choose active lifestyles.

SNAP-Ed Guiding Principles

  1. Is intended to serve SNAP participants, low-income individuals eligible to receive SNAP benefits or other means-tested Federal programs, and individuals residing in communities with a significant low-income populations.
  2. Includes nutrition education and obesity prevention services consisting of a combination of educational strategies, accompanied by supporting policy, systems and environmental (PSE) interventions, demonstrated to facilitate the adoption of food and physical activity choices conducive to the health and well-being of participants. Nutrition education and obesity prevention services are delivered by Ohio SNAP-Ed staff in counties throughout the state in multiple venues such as schools, adult education and job training sites, faith-based locations, community centers, elderly service sites, emergency food assistance sites, OSU Extension offices, farmers markets, JFS offices, Head Start Program sites, homes, libraries, community health centers, public housing, shelters, WIC, and worksites.
  3. Has the greatest potential impact on behaviors related to the nutrition and physical activity of the overall SNAP populations when it targets low income women and children.
  4. Uses evidence-based, behaviorally-focused interventions and maximizes its impact by concentrating on a small set of key population outcomes supported by evidence-based direct education, multilevel interventions, social marketing, PSE and partnerships.
  5. Maximizes its reach by coordinating and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders at the local, state and national levels through publicly or privately funded nutrition intervention, health promotion, or obesity prevention strategies.
  6. Enhances its specific roles, responsibilities and outcomes by communicating with local, State, regional and national SNAP agencies and local, State and Federal legislators.

What do participants find in a SNAP-Ed program and what do they learn?

This is an equal opportunity program. We recruit participants at locations where they live, learn, work and play and do business. We use flyers, public service announcements, and agency workers to tell people about SNAP-Ed and about SNAP-Ed programs. Participants receiving SNAP benefits learn about SNAP-Ed from case workers at the county Department of Job and Family Services offices. Other low-income people learn about SNAP-Ed from other agencies and organizations who partner with OSU Extension for nutrition education programs. The success of SNAP-Ed is linked to the partnership with local agencies and organizations whose outreach includes low income people. Participants can learn where SNAP-Ed is offered by visiting their local county OSU Extension website. Visit osu.edu/extension for more contact information.

Through SNAP-Ed classes participants learn to select, prepare and incorporate fruits and vegetables, whole grain, low-fat protein foods and low-fat dairy products into a healthy diet; to use limited resources to plan, purchase and prepare food for the family; to be physically active every day; and to store and handle food so it is safe for consumption.

OSU SNAP-Ed Link

Ohio SNAP-Ed county map

Ohio SNAP-Ed county map