 So much information is available about nutrition and how to live healthier. Many people are dealing with nutrition-related health conditions, shrinking financial resources, limited time, and uninspiring recipes. They are seeking information on healthy eating, delicious family meals, and eating healthy on a budget. Understanding all that information can make it hard to decide what is best for you in your family. Well, the Urban Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program education makes nutrition easy, tasty, and affordable. Our mission is to empower limited resource families and individuals to make wise food choices to select and prepare safe foods and to consume a nutrient-dense diet of healthy foods. This is done through a variety of activities that take place in a group setting. The program is implemented through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Urban Affairs and new non-traditional programs unit at Alabama A&M University. The program is co-funded by Extension and the Food Step Division of the Alabama Department of Human Resources under the umbrella of the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture. This community-based nutrition education program is targeted at groups who are at greater risk for nutritional deficiencies. These include people with limited resources, elderly, underemployed, and those affected by or at risk of chronic diseases. Currently, programming is conducted in 20 counties across the state of Alabama, including our nine urban centers located in Calhoun, Houston, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Madison, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, and Tuscaloosa counties. Nutrition educators go through continual training to keep current with nutrition trends. Annual in-service training and updates provide the nutrition educators with updated materials, team-building opportunities, professional interaction, and an opportunity to showcase how the program is progressing across the state. The goals of the program are to improve knowledge of the importance of good nutrition to foster healthy families and communities. Secondly, the program seeks to educate families and individuals on the American Dietary Guidelines and my plate to increase their knowledge and skills in food preparation and food safety for improved general health. The third goal is to reduce risk factors associated with poor health and chronic diseases by encouraging healthy food choices and physical activity to promote health and prevent diseases. And lastly, the program seeks to improve shopping behavior and management of household food dollars to ensure nutritious foods are available for families and individuals. Programming is focused directly to improve the lives of participants by making nutrition easy, tasty, and affordable. Classes are conducted at various sites, which include senior and community centers, local WIC or health department offices, public housing, after-school programs, and boys and girls clubs. Programming also takes place beyond the classroom setting to support participants in settings where they eat, play, and work. Community gardens are established and social marketing campaigns are highlighted on billboards and public transportation across the state, as well as some community centers to remind everyone to adopt healthy behaviors like moving more, drinking water, and eating fruits and vegetables. Here is what some of our participants and community partners have to say about the program. The SNAP program has been beneficiary to me because I've learned how to shop smart and I've learned that when I'm in the grocery store to think healthy and not just by taste. We are all learning better nutrition skills and how to maintain our diets. We learn how to choose good food because you've taught us about nutrition and the reading of what's in the food itself, how to pick good food, low-calorie, fresh fruits and vegetables. It's just a great program. Well, I've learned about the different food groups in my plate, the fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. It has reinforced the importance of label reading. It sends text messages out to remind us to eat more fruits and vegetables. In the classes that we had, showing us how to prepare meals such as stovetop lasagna. I've learned about the my plate and the food groups, which are vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy. One of the things I've learned about fast food is I can bake potato instead of french fries. It has helped me also to encourage the seniors to do better and by eating right, it improves you mentally and physically. The Urban Snap-Aid program benefited me by allowing me to choose healthier foods for my family. The program has given me good information on how to lose the weight, how to eat more greens and how to intake more water. Most senior citizens like myself were canned good eaters. With the Snap-Aid, it taught me to be smart and a healthy eater. And since I have changed my eating habits and have been active now during exercises, I have came off the insulin, no more pens. If you change your eating habits and you get active, you can live a better, healthier life. The Urban Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education makes nutrition easy, tasty, and affordable. For information about the Urban Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education classes in your community, call the Urban Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education State staff at 256-372-8082 or 256-372-8083. You can also find more information by visiting our website at www.aces.edu.urban.snap-aid.