Two New Family Members

This article was written and published in the Robesonian, The Robeson Journal, and can be located on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center website.

— Written By Ashley McRae and Joanna Rogers

 North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, has added new members to their family; are you wondering who it could be? Wonder no longer! Joanna Rogers, as the 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant, and Ashley McRae, as the Adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant, are the newest members to join the Cooperative Extension family. 

Joanna Rogers has prior education in nutrition and catering to specific diets that fit the individual’s dietary needs. Ms. Rogers is excited to take on the Youth EFNEP Assistant role and looks forward to helping youth (ages 5-18) in Robeson County make positive, healthy changes. Being from a low-income area, many families cannot afford to eat healthy. Joanna’s goal is to provide youth with a new outlook on how to eat healthy and become more active. Her services include a series of lessons that help teach healthy eating habits, eating healthy on a budget, and promote fun ways to be active. At the end of each lesson, students will be able to enjoy a nutritious snack that compliments the lesson completed for that day along with take home materials to share with their families. 

Ashley McRae is a native of Robeson County and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she received a bachelor’s degree in social work. Prior to working with Cooperative Extension, Ashley was an Adult Education Instructor. Mrs. McRae finds it gratifying to help people learn as well as helping individuals master new skills. Through EFNEP, Ashley hopes to educate and assist as many families as possible in the areas of nutrition, managing food resources, and food safety. Through a series of nutrition classes, EFNEP teaches families to be more knowledgeable on conserving food dollars, new ideas for increasing physical activity, and food safety practices. Participants who are enrolled in classes will have the opportunity to watch, as well as participate in, food demonstrations; learn new recipes; practice food handling skills; and learn how to improve their dietary intake. 

Participants will complete a minimum of nine classes with each class lasting an hour. Ashley’s target audience is limited-resource families with young children living in the household and are eligible for public assistance. Adult EFNEP serves individuals and families who are expecting a child, as well as individuals who provide noncustodial parental care, as long as these individuals meet the income guidelines. They must also be responsible for planning, shopping, and preparing food for the children in their care. Still wondering who the newest Cooperative Extension members are? Stop by Cooperative Extension to learn more! 

For more information, please contact Joanna Rogers, Youth EFNEP Assistant, or Ashley McRae, Adult EFNEP Assistant, with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center, at 671-3276, by E-mail at Joanna_Rogers@ncsu.edu for Joanna or Ashley_McRae@ncsu.edu for Ashley, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/. 

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University are collectively committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of age, color, disability, family and marital status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. NC State, N.C. A&T, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

Read more at: https://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/05/cooperative-extension-welcomes-new-program-assistants/