Home Economics & ICAN (Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition)
Our county's Extension home economics program helps strengthen family life. In a rapidly changing world, the challenges facing individuals and families in our county are great. With A problem solving philosophy, we strive to develop programs to deal with complex issues facing local families. We are helping people build leadership and other skills. We teach through group training sessions and local programs and community projects. We are dedicated to solving community needs, concerns and issues.
Child Development & Family Life
San Miguel County has a high percent of single and young mothers having children with low birth weight. In order to help them through difficult situations and to provide a form of education and guidance for their future and that of their children, the CES/EFNEP Program provides a newsletter to all new mothers through help of the local hospital and WIC/EFNEP training at health offices. The 50 child care providers in San Miguel County, twenty-five which are licensed, all requiring 24 hours of specific training for license and operation of the programs. Assistance, training and education is essential in San Miguel County. This is provided by home economist through in-service. Care for elderly in San Miguel County is in dire need because of the number of elderly in the area without health benefits. Basic skills and training in various areas are presented to these Senior Groups as a means to providing caregivers the essentials of care services for the elderly.
Food & Nutrition Education
San Miguel County is one of the leading counties with a high population of young children and elderly and a population of high health risk illnesses, including obesity, diabetic, osteoporosis, cancer, low birth weights and other nutrition related diseases. San Miguel County is an alcohol and drug Consumption County which as a last result is directly correlated to the poor eating habits and health concerns we deal within the county. The lack of health benefits for area residence is predominate in the county, due primarily to lack of resources to purchase health needs, thus the dire need for a free health education fair.
Extension Food & Nutrition Education Program
San Miguel County is comprised of 80% Hispanic, 20% white population. The county falls into one of the highest counties in poverty level . It also falls into a high number of unemployment and low economic status base. There are a large number of food stamp, WIC, and commodity recipients in the county. These factors along with the high incidents of alcohol and drug abuse, and the large number of single parents makes San Miguel County one of the most viable areas for the food and nutrition programming. Only education of the population will assist in the betterment of the population.