Extension agent says nutrition program saved families money, reached hundreds in Shawnee County

Sofia Diaz Bueno, the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program extension agent, told the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners at their Jan. 26 work session that county educators partnered with 11 local organizations and reached hundreds of residents with nutrition education.

"EFNEP contributes to the health of Kansas by helping low‑income families enhance their nutritional well‑being," Diaz Bueno said, describing school‑based lessons, community demonstrations and referrals to local services. She summarized program outcomes for the past year, including higher rates of improved diet quality, food‑safety behaviors and food resource management among adult graduates.

Diaz Bueno gave examples of recent activities: elementary and middle‑school lessons at Jordan, French and Jardine middle schools, a September–October youth session and upcoming culinary partnerships with a local technical program. She said the program emphasizes culturally relevant curricula and that educators tailor sessions based on participant feedback.

On program impact, she reported that participants were able to reduce monthly food expenditures by about $162.50 per household (roughly $1,950 a year) because of strategies taught in classes. Diaz Bueno also said the program directly educated hundreds of people last year and reached an additional number of family members through participants; she reported that 74 percent of participants identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Commissioners pressed staff on overlap with the health department’s WIC dietitians after staff alerted them that one registered dietitian position had been closed for lack of funding. A commissioner asked, "Where does EFNEP and the registered dietitians overlap?"

Diaz Bueno said EFNEP is primarily an educational and referral program and that county educators refer clients to WIC dietitians for clinical or one‑on‑one dietary services. "When they are seeing clients at [clinic sites], they quickly refer them to WIC," she said, adding that EFNEP also offers curricula such as "Healthy You and Baby" to participate alongside WIC mother‑groups.

Extension Director Candice Stiles supplemented the presentation with the office’s quarterly figures and highlights: 1,312 direct educational contacts in the fourth quarter, robotics and STEM programming for youth, a youth business pitch contest that awarded $2,500 in prizes, and a large contribution from master gardener volunteers who logged thousands of service hours. Stiles also noted an upcoming start date for a new agricultural agent in February.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation; commissioners thanked staff for the report and moved on to the next agenda item.