Wyoming’s Cent$ible Nutrition Program (CNP) congratulates staff and partners across the state for outstanding outreach efforts in 2022.
CNP serves income-qualifying families and individuals through educational programming focused on nutrition, physical activity, and how to eat better for less.
“We have an excellent team of educators. They all do exemplary work,” says CNP Director Mindy Meuli. “Each year we like to recognize those that go above and beyond in their programming.”
Awards were presented Nov. 9 at a UW Extension conference in Casper.
Goldfarb named CNP Educator of the Year
In recognition of her engaging and effective direct education initiatives for youth and adults, Laramie County educator Kelsi Goldfarb earned the 2022 Educator of the Year award. She brings enthusiasm and energy to each one of her classes, Meuli comments.
Participants in her 2022 programs reported an impressive 79 percent increase in physical activity. Adult participants observed a 98 percent improvement in their nutrition practices.
Albany County educator innovates online and in person
CNP educator Jess Dooley, recipient of the Outstanding Multi-level Programming award, is a leader in providing online classes and leveraging social media platforms like Facebook Live to deliver educational content in an accessible format.
Dooley also organizes exemplary direct education programs and community interventions in Albany and Carbon Counties. This year, she developed a new partnership with the local middle school and soup kitchen to help at-risk students build confidence in the kitchen.
Uinta County staff member recognized for community impact
CNP educator Beth Barker, recipient of the 2022 Community Impact award, exemplifies the service-oriented mission of extension programming.
She is known for her proactive efforts to recruit participants through agency referrals and community relationships. Fifty percent of her referrals from the Department of Family Services and Medicaid attended CNP classes. This is the highest attendance rate from DFS referrals the program has recorded so far, Meuli notes.
Nielson receives CNP’s highest honor
The Linda Melcher award, presented to Sweetwater County’s Wendy Nielson, honors educators who embody the essence of the Cent$ible Nutrition Program. “The Linda Melcher award is in recognition of Wendy’s compassion and commitment over her years of service to CNP and Extension,” says Meuli.
In addition to saving participants an average of $113.30 per month on groceries, Nielson works with partners on projects designed to empower under-resourced community members. Several years ago, she helped start a community garden at a low-income housing site, a project that is now self sustaining. Nielson is also a leader in conducting CNP reunion lessons.
R&E Center recognized for record-breaking potato donation
For their role in facilitating the harvest and donation of nearly 11,000 pounds of potatoes to food pantry patrons across Wyoming, Steve Paisley, Brian Lee, Kelly Greenwald and staff at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Research and Extension Center (SAREC) near Lingle received the 2022 Collective Impact award.
The award recognizes a partner that creates a synergistic effect on Wyoming communities, explains Meuli. The SAREC potato harvest, now in its second year, brings together the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, Food Bank of Wyoming and community volunteers to fight food insecurity across the state.
To learn more about CNP, visit uwyocnp.org.
