SNAP-Ed

Georgia ranks 21 out of 50 in the United States for adult obesity (being very overweight) and has an obesity rate of 32.5% (higher than the national rate of 30%). Low-income families are at greater risk for developing obesity and other chronic diseases (long-lasting sicknesses). They are also more likely to experience food shortages since the money to buy food is limited or unavailable. In the United States, 78 million Americans are at increased risk of developing serious health conditions due to obesity. Southern states are affected more often by this national public health crisis.

SNAP-Ed is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS). It serves as the educational arm of SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), otherwise known as Food Stamps. SNAP-Ed aims to increase the knowledge and self-help of people receiving SNAP by providing them with education and offering support that makes healthy choices the easier and preferred choice for families living on a limited budget.

Direct Nutrition Education (DNE)
The 8-week Eating Smart · Being Active (ESBA) course uses an interactive learning approach to deliver information and engaging nutritional content. The 90-minute sessions focus on 3 important areas – nutrition education, physical activity, and preparation of a low-cost, healthy recipe. Members receive handouts and weekly educational extenders to strengthen and master healthier choices at home. Members who complete the series of lessons also receive a graduation certificate and ESBA cookbook.

Featured weekly topics include:
- Welcome to Eating Smart · Being Active/Get Moving!
- Plan, Shop, Save
- Fruits and Veggies: Half Your Plate
- Make Half Your Grains Whole
- Go Lean with Protein
- Build Strong Bones
- Make a Change
- Celebrate! Eat Smart and Be Active.
The 8-week series is offered in community settings where SNAP-Ed adults ages 18-64 live, work, play, pray, learn, shop, and eat.
Community Gardening

DPH partners with local community organizations to develop gardens in communities. The gardens can reduce food shortages by increasing access to affordable fresh produce. More importantly, they give community members ownership of a space that empowers, educates, and engages them to make lasting, healthier choices that supports the goals of direct nutrition education.

An established workgroup at each garden provides mentors that help organize regular community garden events in areas that SNAP-Ed adults ages 18-64 live, work, play, pray, learn, shop, and eat.
Voices for Food (VFF)

VFF is an evidence-based intervention that aims to enhance food access in rural communities with high poverty and food insecurity rates. Funded public health districts are responsible for developing and/or strengthening local food policy councils. They are also responsible for collaborating and building effective partnerships with local food pantries, food banks, and faith-based food distributers to encourage policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes that will increase availability of healthy foods and address hunger and food access challenges.

This intervention equips communities with tools to provide education and support in the areas of food systems, food councils, collaboration, nutrition, meal preparation, food safety, resource management, guided client-choice pantries, and cultural competency to improve individual and household food security and build positive and sustainable, healthy communities.

DPH’s SNAP-Ed program utilizes a combination of evidence-based approaches to offer 4 interventions to SNAP-Ed eligible adults ages 18-64 across 4 public health districts.

Georgia DPH SNAP-Ed Program Overview

DPH collaborates with 4 public health districts to implement the SNAP-Ed program. The districts are:

The map below depicts the counties where SNAP-Ed interventions are currently being implemented.

Figure 1: The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is 1 of 4 SNAP-Ed implementing agencies (IAs) in the state of Georgia. DPH collaborates with 4 health public health districts to implement the SNAP-Ed program, while other IAs focus on additional areas of the state.

Social Marketing Campaigns

Hydrate My State is a statewide campaign initiative led by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) and Georgia SNAP-Ed IAs. The campaign promotes the consumption of water and other healthy beverages. All campaign messaging centers on at least one of three points: the link between sugary drinks and chronic diseases, the excess calories in sugary drinks, and the importance of drinking water. The messaging will be promoted through social media postings and during community outreach events held during the month of September.

The DPH social marketing campaign aims to increase awareness of the SNAP-Ed program and provide messaging about eating smart, moving more, and drinking more water. The campaign will target census tracts and zip codes where the SNAP-Ed target audience resides in the funded health districts.

FFY22 SNAP-Ed Impact

Figure 2: Indirect activities were conducted in 10 counties across 4 health districts. The total estimated reach reflects the number of individuals directly contacted by the implementing staff at the health district.

Figure 3: Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change interventions can drastically improve community health. PSE approaches work to address socioeconomic and environmental factors by making healthy choices a more accessible and the easier choice.. The total number of changes reflects all PSE changes adopted across all 4 health districts. The list of top nutrition and physical activity changes reflect the most frequent PSE changes adopted. For a full list of the 43 PSE changes, please contact the Georgia Department of Public Health SNAP-Ed team.

SNAP-Ed FFY20 Partnerships and Coalitions

Additional Resources

The material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

For the USDA's full non-discrimination statement, click here.

Page last updated 12/27/2022