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Committee approves acceptance of supplemental nutrition education grant funding
Summary
The Government Operations Committee voted to accept additional extension funding for the supplemental nutrition education program administered by University of New England and delivered locally by public health staff.
The Government Operations Committee on Aug. 5 voted to accept and appropriate supplemental nutrition education grant funding that will continue a longstanding nutrition-education program serving Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.
The funding supports staffing for nutrition education tied to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the program has operated in the local public health department since about 2012, with four nutrition educators serving schools during the academic year and providing adult programming during school breaks.
Jayla Comstock, a presenter from the public health department, said the program is in its second extension cycle of a five-year grant term and that the current year’s extension provides a “little bit more money than we received last year.” Comstock said the University of New England currently holds the state contract and that Maine may issue a new request for proposals when the term ends, meaning future funding could be re-competed.
Committee members moved and seconded approval; the motion was recorded as approved in committee. No detailed vote tally or named mover/second was provided on the record.
The action will maintain local staffing and school-based services that the department described as its primary delivery channel; when schools are not in session, educators shift to adult-intensive programming. The committee took no further formal direction beyond approving the acceptance and appropriation of the extension funding.
