Two professionals from the University of Guam’s Cooperative Extension & Outreach program have returned from a conference with new ideas and knowledge of best practices for UOG’s Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).

The program’s new coordinator, Tanisha Aflague, and Extension Associate Clarissa Barcinas attended the 2019 EFNEP National Coordinators’ Conference from March 11–14 in Arlington, VA.

“I have attended this conference every year, and it has always been a learning experience, more so on how to improve program implementation and how to get things done more efficiently,” Barcinas said. “In this year’s conference, I’ve gained the understanding that we need to move forward in the advancements of technology and the improvement with the use of social media to reach our island community with our UOG EFNEP program.”

EFNEP is a federal community outreach program that uses a holistic, hands-on, peer education approach to teaching community members about healthy food choices and resources management. It operates through land-grant universities in every U.S. state and territory. The program has been implemented for about 38 years in Guam and has built capacity by shaping clients into educators.

“Each Coordinators’ Conference is an opportunity to meet collaborators in-person, instead of virtually across oceans, to include our neighboring brothers and sisters in the Pacific Islands,” Aflague said. “At this conference, I was able to strengthen the partnership with the EFNEP island programs to plan for new approaches and tools, as well as leverage and share resources relevant to the islands.”

As the program’s new coordinator, she said, “I learned the roots of EFNEP that has shaped my profound appreciation of the progress made over the years as well as my excitement for being a part of advancements to come in the future.”

Travel funding for the extension professionals was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Institute of Food & Agriculture, and EFNEP at UOG Cooperative Extension & Outreach.

For resources and more information, visit https://cnas-re.uog.edu.

About UOG Cooperative Extension & Outreach

University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach works to increase collaborations between the public and government agencies, private entities, and non-governmental organizations. Its partnerships foster its mission of extending research-based knowledge through outreach education programs for positive engagement of individuals and communities. It specializes in agriculture and natural resources, consumer and family sciences, 4-H youth development, and community development.