Purdue News

October 22, 1999 Extension program on family nutrition recognized WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Montgomery County Family Nutrition Program was honored with the Ann Hancook Award as a model of campus faculty and county field staff cooperation at the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service's annual banquet Tuesday (10/19). The statewide Family Nutrition Program, which began in 1994, is supported by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Purdue Extension. Montgomery County was one of the original 18 pilot counties for this project, which helps families and individuals with limited resources better use their food dollars. The Montgomery County team consists of Virginia Servies, consumer and family sciences educator, and Tina Martin and Carla Rice, FNP assistants. They have worked closely with Jane Clary, the on-campus coordinator of the statewide Family Nutrition Program, throughout the life of the program. Servies also has served on the FNP Advisory Board and has been active in the state program's development. Community support has been key, and the team has successfully cultivated donations from the Kiwanis Club, Golden Books, Extension Homemaker clubs, Step Ahead, food pantries, area Sunday schools, and local grocery stores. For example, Montgomery County FNP and Extension Homemakers created the Holiday Program, which provided 25 FNP participants with ideas and assistance for enjoying the holidays by stretching food dollars and food stamps to provide an enjoyable, special day without going into debt. The Hancook Award is presented annually in honor of Ann Hancook, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service program leader who died in 1993, to honor Extension educators and specialists who jointly create programs focusing on families. It's sponsored by the Indiana Extension Educators Association, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Specialists Association, and the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, the Extension honorary. CONTACT: Floyd Branson, assistant director, Cooperative Extension Service, (765) 494-8490; Floyd_Branson@ces.purdue.edu Compiled by Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page