Melinda McLain Severt Native to Alexander County Attended Appalachian Currently attending ECU Instructor at CVCC Canning Yeast breads Cupcake decorating Currently teaching at South Iredell High School Teach a variety of FACS classes SIT team Staff goal team Varsity cheer coach

Health and Wellness program for Alexander County By: Melinda Severt

Objectives of health and wellness program Promote health and wellness among different ages groups in Alexander County Connect with community organizations Meet the nutritional needs to build a stronger community Coordinate existing resources that are provided in community to more effectively serve the residents.

Objectives of health and wellness program Fill the gaps not met by families Cooking skills Stay current with research from NC A&T and NC State Teach life skills such as Money management Healthy food selection and preparation

Obesity rates and Health concerns Low-income preschool obesity rate 19.8% Adult obesity rate 28.2% Adult diabetes rate 9.7% Poverty rates Poverty rate 18.3% state average 16.8% Unemployment 7.6% SNAP recipients 13% SNAP recipients who are children 25% SNAP recipients who are white 12% SNAP recipients who are black 16%

Childhood Nutrition Programs Program already in use SNAP Ed SNAP-Ed works to help participants make healthy choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate. Designed for preschoolers, kindergarteners, 2nd grade students, 3rd grade students, adults, Latino families, and older adults New program Cooking with Kids Summer day camp program Children ages 7-11 Safety and sanitation Healthy snack selection Basic cooking skills

Teen Parent Nutrition Program Cooking and Nutrition Classes Provided by a partnership with Caring Hearts Pregnancy Resource Center Planning nutritious meals for pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and children. 42 Teen Pregnancies in Alexander County Working with DSS and WIC to help participants create shopping lists Teach participants how to utilize sales papers and use coupon(s) to reduce food bills Teach basic cooking skills and create a recipe resources booklet

Middle Age and Family Nutrition Program Online access to Grocery list that include healthy snacks and ingredients for healthy recipes Meal planning made easy healthy recipe of the week What’s for dinner? Research suggests that family mealtime has a wealth of health and social benefits for everyone, and especially for children, Kids who eat meals with their families tend to eat more fruits, vegetables, fiber, calcium-rich foods, and vitamins. They are also less likely to eat junk food.

Elderly Nutrition Program Many older adults are living on fixed incomes Programs should be developed to meet address the variety of needs of the aging population, including mobility, reduced sense of taste, preparing food for 1 person, etc. Partnership with the senior center. 22.8% of the population is 60+ Specialized eating plans must also be a focus Diabetes Heart disease High blood pressure

Other Opportunities Foods preservation classes Servsafe certifications Working with child care facilities Record cooking demonstrations to market Alexander County’s Cooperative Extension. Facebook Instagram

Resources (n.d.). Retrieved from data.com/county/Alexander_County-NC.htmlhttp:// data.com/county/Alexander_County-NC.html bloch, M. (2009, November 28). Food stamp usage across the country. Retrieved from 28-foodstamps.html?_r=0 sifferlin, A. (2012, April 24). Why families who eat together are healthier. Retrieved from eat-together-are-healthier/