Whether young or old, male or female, tall or short, everyone needs to eat. Food is the cornerstone for survival. We also know that what and how much you eat and drink affects your health. Everyone can afford to eat better, and everyone needs to be active, especially with skyrocketing healthcare costs. Food, nutrition, and health are important for each and every person. The Health and Wellness Center worked with The Virginia Family Nutrition Program which empowers people to take charge of their health by eating healthy and living an active lifestyle. The nutrition educators work with Virginians to teach essential life skills like cooking, managing a food budget, using SNAP/EBT, being physically active, handling food safely, and planning meals. The Virginia Family Nutrition Program’s mission is to teach limited-resource households how to make healthier food choices and become better managers of available food resources for optimal health and growth. The programs focus on basic nutrition, physical activity, safe food handling, and thrifty food shopping.
The Family Nutrition Program is offered through Virginia Cooperative Extension, an educational outreach partnership between Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. The program is a discussion-based, includes hands-on activities like cooking and meal planning, and offers practical advice for making healthy behavior changes. From September 30 through November 4, 2019, a group of 15 Blue Ridge Job Corps students attended the six week course and learned valuable skills and materials to help them get started on a healthier life style. On November 11th, each student received a certificate of completion for the class. Medical Assistant student Sierra Thomas stated, “I had a great time taking this class, and I learned a lot about living and eating healthier.”