UGA SNAP-Ed leaves lasting legacy as operations conclude

After 13 years of serving communities across Georgia, the University of Georgia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (UGA SNAP-Ed) concluded its work on September 30.

Launched in 2013, the program was eliminated as part of the federal reconciliation bill (H.R. 1) passed last summer.

In a bittersweet message to colleagues, partners and supporters, University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences faculty member Jung Sun Lee reflected on the program’s contributions and the lasting impact of its work.

“As one of the USDA-funded Georgia SNAP-Ed implementing agencies, UGA SNAP-Ed delivered evidence-based, multi-level nutrition education and obesity prevention programs to communities across the state,” said Lee, UGA SNAP-Ed principal investigator and Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences in the department of nutritional sciences. “Over the past 13 years, we reached nearly 65,000 low-income Georgians through both in-person and online education and approximately 3.3 million Georgians annually through comprehensive social marketing campaigns.”

The SNAP-Ed team developed, implemented and evaluated several evidence-based interventions, including Food Talk, Food Talk: Better U and Food Talk: Farmers Market.

The program also emerged as a leader in technology-assisted nutrition education by developing digital interventions, such as self-paced online programs (Food eTalk and Food eTalk: Better U), text messaging interventions (Food Talk texting and Drink Water, Georgia! texting) and social media interventions.

These programs and approaches provided a foundation for UGA SNAP-Ed Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) interventions.

The team’s efforts addressed diverse community settings, including early care and education through Healthy Child Care Georgia, charitable food assistance programs through Food Pantry PSE and safety net clinics serving medically underserved patients through FARM Rx.

The program’s research and outreach extended well beyond direct participant education, Lee said. The team shared its findings through 26 peer-reviewed publications and 86 conference and invited presentations and built partnerships with roughly 150 organizations statewide. Program participants consistently reported improvements in their intentions and behaviors related to eating and physical activity.

“By combining research, outreach and community partnerships, we expanded our reach and impact, especially in underserved communities,” Lee said. “I am proud of what we accomplished together and grateful to everyone who made it possible. The relationships we built and the knowledge we shared will remain part of UGA SNAP-Ed’s legacy.”

Allisen Penn, FACS Associate Dean for Extension and outreach, praised the UGA SNAP-Ed team and the UGA Extension network for embodying the college’s mission to advance health and well-being across the lifespan.

“The success of SNAP-Ed reflects the dedication and expertise of our UGA SNAP-Ed team and the strength of the UGA Extension network in Georgia counties,” Penn said. “SNAP-Ed empowered individuals and families to develop practical skills to make healthier food choices, increase physical activity and reduce their risk of chronic disease. Their work met people where they are and provided trusted, research-based education that made a real difference in their daily lives. We are grateful to Dr. Lee for her outstanding leadership and to the many faculty, staff, students and Extension professionals whose educational efforts created lasting benefits for Georgia communities that will continue for years to come."

Lee offered additional reflections on the program’s success and insights into the future of nutrition education here:

What are you most proud of about the SNAP-Ed program’s many accomplishments?

One of the program’s greatest accomplishments was making high-quality nutrition education more accessible. By curating and coordinating evidence-based resources and delivering them through a variety of formats and platforms, UGA SNAP-Ed helped reduce barriers related to transportation, scheduling and geography. This flexible approach allowed more individuals, families and communities to access nutrition education in ways that fit their lives.

What recommendations have you shared for previous SNAP-Ed participants and partnering organizations?

The team encourages former SNAP-Ed participants to continue applying the healthy eating and active lifestyle strategies they gained through the program and to share these practices with their families and communities. Participants are also encouraged to continue seeking trusted nutrition information and opportunities to build on what they learned through UGA FACS Extension Programs. For partnering organizations, the team emphasizes the importance of meeting people where they are by providing flexible, accessible and culturally responsive nutrition education.

The SNAP-Ed team created a variety of innovative resources for underserved communities. What will happen to those programs now and what does the future of nutrition education look like for you and your partners?

Looking ahead, we are exploring opportunities to build on the strong partnerships, research and outreach capacity developed through UGA SNAP-Ed. The program’s extensive nutrition education resources provide a valuable foundation for advancing evidence-based nutrition education and training, strengthening public health nutrition research and outreach and expanding opportunities to integrate nutrition into medical training and emerging areas such as Food is Medicine.