Maine SNAP-Ed, implemented by the university through a contract with Maine\u2019s Office for Family Independence, addresses food security and wellness in low-resource settings across the state. The funding comes from the USDA and is granted to over 160 agencies throughout the nation. Implementing agencies include universities, non-profits, state health and agriculture departments, and tribal-serving organizations. The Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA) brings member implementing agencies together annually to advance best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conference theme was \u201cTransforming Tomorrow Together: Building on 30 Years of SNAP-Ed.\u201d <\/strong>The history of SNAP-Ed funding was highlighted, along with emerging innovative approaches to alleviate hunger through equitable programming. CEPH staff presented on work related to program evaluation, social marketing and media, and COVID-19 impact on program delivery. Panel presentations highlighted work completed this past year through research and practice collaborations with academic peers from more than a dozen partnering universities. CEPH\u2019s Senior Research Associates Pamela Bruno, MPH, and Kira Rodriguez, MHS, contributed to presentations, as did Hannah Ruhl, MPH, the program\u2019s Obesity Prevention Coordinator. CEPH\u2019s Tasha Gerken-Nelson, MS, RD, Senior Nutrition Program Coordinator, co-chaired the conference planning committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following presentations were shared at the 2022 ASNNA Virtual Annual Conference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pamela Bruno co-authored and presented the plenary session Keeping the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework on the Leading Edge \u2013 How ASNNA Practitioners Can Influence Excellence in SNAP-Ed Planning<\/em>, summarizing evaluation findings using mixed methods to examine the uptake of a practitioner-driven framework for the nation\u2019s largest nutrition education program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannah Ruhl co-authored and presented A SNAP-Ed Social Marketing Recipe for Success<\/em>, an overview of social marketing best practices and a template for states to tailor and implement successful campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pamela Bruno co-authored and presented Collaboratively Strengthening Sectors of Influence-Level Indicators Through Group Learning and Reflection<\/em>, a summary of practitioner focus group findings designed to inform best practices for sector-level work to address food security and health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pamela Bruno co-authored Reporting on COVID-19 Approaches, Outcomes, and Impact Using an Infographic Template<\/em>, summarizing results of a national effort to coordinate dissemination of evaluation findings specific to pandemic-related SNAP-Ed interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hannah Ruhl, Kira Rodriguez, and Pamela Bruno co-authored Social Capital \u2013 How SNAP-Ed\u2019s greatest asset proves key to pandemic innovation and success<\/em>, examining how the concept of social capital can be applied to interventions, evaluation, and training to lift up the power of community engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n