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County health director warns DINE nutrition program could end Sept. 30 without new funds
Summary
Public Health Director Rod Jenkins said loss of SNAP‑Ed funding would cut $1 million, eliminate 13 DINE staff and force program discontinuation after Sept. 30 unless the county and partners identify new funding or bridge resources.
Dr. Rod Jenkins, Durham County’s public health director, told commissioners that changes to SNAP‑related funding threaten the Durham Innovative Nutrition Education (DINE) program and that the county faces immediate staffing and service losses.
"There's a loss of $1,000,000 in fiscal 26 funding for our DINE program," Jenkins said, and added the cut would “directly impact 13 positions that will be eliminated.” He said the current structure of DINE would discontinue after Sept. 30, 2025 in its present form unless alternate funding is found.
Jenkins and public health staff laid out options to scale or reimagine services, reporting that the department has identified roughly $200,000 in internal funds as a short‑term bridge while pursuing grants, philanthropic partners and other revenue opportunities. Jenkins emphasized the program’s long partnerships across 25 years with schools, community sites and local organizations and said losing the DINE staff would reduce early‑childhood nutrition education, school programs and community outreach.
Commissioners urged immediate action and asked staff to develop short‑ and long‑term options, including pursuit of philanthropic foundations and requests for county bridge funding at an upcoming meeting. One commissioner said she supports funding a level that preserves core services; others asked for a run‑out analysis and scenarios for scaled staffing.
Why it matters: The DINE program provides school‑based and community nutrition education, and Jenkins warned that the loss would affect students, seniors and community partnerships that rely on in‑person dietitian services and technical support.
