The NFS outreach programs in food safety and nutrition are externally funded and have achieved national recognition
for their excellence. Program directors collaborate with a variety of partners including federal and state regulatory agencies,
state government agencies, other land grant institutions and institutions of higher learning, schools, trade associations,
health care organizations and community based agencies serving high risk, low-income and other special populations.
Outreach programs are conducted largely through the
URI Cooperative Extension Center.
Nutrition outreach programs are directed at improving dietary quality, improving food resource management and reducing food
insecurity in limited-resource families. The federally funded Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is part
of the nutrition outreach program. The Rhode Island Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program provides nutrition education
to food stamp eligible households and is delivered through the Rhode Island Public Transportation and the Providence Public
Library systems. An additional outreach component is a weekly nutrition column in the Providence Journal with an estimated
weekly readership of 225,000.
The Food Safety outreach program seeks to improve food safety through controlling or eliminating foodborne risks through
training of professionals and representatives of the food industry. The Food Safety Specialist oversees development and
delivery of a 15-hour Certification and a 6-hour Recertification course in food safety. These courses, taught through the URI
College of Continuing Education, are mandated for food service managers. Programming for the food industry focuses on
assisting groups such as the seafood, meat and poultry processors, fruit and vegetable growers, and food service workers
by providing training mandated by legislation as well as providing information on current topics related to food safety. Food
safety specialists have received funding for a three-year project to use good agricultural practices guidelines to integrate
food safety principles into small farm production of fruits and vegetables in New England.
Outreach is an important component of the Senior Nutrition Awareness Program (SNAP) directed by
Dr. Fey-Yensan.
SNAP is targeted at limited income elderly in Rhode Island and Connecticut; activities include workshops and newsletters.
