The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) teaches people about the importance of making healthier food choices and how to manage their resources to best provide for their families, especially when resources are limited.

The program helps people eligible for food stamps to be better educated about nutrition, food safety, and food budgeting.  FNP information and workshops are available at public aid offices, WIC sites, Head Start Program sites, food pantries, grocery stores,  commodity food sites, libraries, social service agencies, churches, senior citizen centers, and Extension offices. 

The Ohio State University Extension's Family Nutrition Program is funded by Midwest Region Food Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The Family Nutrition Program is sometimes referred to as the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program.  FNP is a joint partnership between the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and The Ohio State University Extension.

The delivery of educational programs at the county level is  done by the Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent and by a FNP Program Assistant.  FNP targets food stamp program participants and eligible non-participants; disseminates educational information through public service announcements, basic food and nutrition demonstrations, newsletters, fact sheets, individual consultations, and group educational sessions with displays and videotapes; and uses curriculum materials selected for the audience's unique diversity. 

The Family Nutrition Program is an integral part of the Ohio State University Extension Family & Consumer Sciences program. FNP Program Assistants teach basic nutrition, food safety, meal management, thrifty shopping and food resource management information. The success of FNP involves a partnership with local agencies/organizations whose outreach includes food stamp program participants and other limited resource
audiences.  Ohio State University Extension has the responsibility to provide additional educational experiences for the FNP audience.  The use of FNP materials in other Extension programs can contribute to interaction and can serve as a bridge between Extension programs. 

The grant-funded Family Nutrition Program is in its fifth year in Carroll County.  The goal is to improve the level of nutrition education of families and individuals.   After participating in this program in 2000, 800 adults were able to improve family nutrition using a variety of food choices, improve family resources to provide an adequate food supply without having to seek emergency assistance, use recommended meal-management practices including modifying recipes and using inexpensive foods, and use recommended food and kitchen safety/sanitation practices to have a safer food supply. 

You may contact OSU Extension, Carroll County at 330 627-4310 for more information or for a listing of programs and classes being offered in Carroll County.  All programs are offered to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis.